Gravengood, Jefferson Pace Milwaukee Men In Loss To Green BayFeb. 3, 2007
GREEN BAY, Wis. - Juniors Chase Gravengood and Tyler Jefferson led the way as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's swimming & diving team closed out its dual season with a 132-111 loss on the road at UW-Green Bay Saturday afternoon. Gravengood won two individual events and Jefferson one, while both were members of the winning 400 freestyle relay team. Freshman Jeremy Waldhart was also an individual event winner for Milwaukee. "I feel we did well today," UWM head coach Dave Griffore said. "We have to be a swimming and diving team and today we were not a complete team [UWGB went 1-2-3 on one diving board and 1 and 3 on the other]. But, Green Bay is a team that we are trying to get past in the standings, so once we get to the league championships ... who knows." Gravengood won all three of his events, topping the field in the 200 freestyle in 1:43.96, the 200 butterfly in 1:54.58 and as a member of the 400 free relay team. That squad consisted of Gravengood, Jefferson, freshman Eric Burns and junior David Yugo, touching the wall in 3:12.02. "We put Chase in the 200 free to try and mix some things up in the lineup," Griffore said. "He came through solid all day." Jefferson had a good meet, winning the 100 freestyle in 47.85 and taking third in the 50 free despite a tough start. "Tyler had a good day," Griffore said. "His 100 was solid and he slipped off the blocks in the 50 and still came back for third." Waldhart led a one-two finish for Milwaukee in the 200 IM, winning in 1:58.39. Junior Jeremy Seibel was second in 1:59.61. Waldhart took second in the 200 backstroke in 1:57.08 as well, while Seibel was second in the 200 breaststroke.
"Knowing Jeremy (Waldhart) is just a freshman is a good thing," Griffore said. "We will really have a lot to build off for him going into next year and beyond." Sophomore Robby Leibold took second in both distance events, falling to UWGB's Alex Hill in both. He touched the wall in 4:43.66 in the 500 and was touched out - 9:40.66 to 9:40.51 - in the 1000 free. Freshman P.J. Rongitsch led the UWM diving contigent with a second-place effort on the three-meter board with 243.38 points. The loss gives UWM a 5-4 record in duals on the season, marking the team's first plus-.500 record since going 7-4 in the 1998-99 campaign. "As a new coach, we want to start doing good things with the team we have here right now," Griffore said. "They really stepped up this year and set up well for the championships." UWM closes out the regular season at the Midwest Invitational Feb. 16-17. |
