The Geneseo Blue Wave is currently on a roll. Both the men’s and women’s teams tore up the competition on Saturday Feb. 3, placing first out of five teams.
The men won with a 713-525 point lead over second place Monroe Community College, with the women scoring 824-447 over second place Buffalo State College.
On the men’s side, senior diver Samuel Randall had another impressive performance, claiming first in both the one-meter and three-meter dives. Junior swimmer Clark Davis and sophomore swimmer Matt Mattera also claimed two individual events apiece.
For the women’s side, sophomore diver Samantha Reichman—like Randall—took both the one and three-meter dives. Senior swimmer Natalie LaCourt also helped seal the victory for Geneseo, winning four events—two individual and two relays.
At this meet, head coach Paul Dotterweich allowed the swimmers to choose which races they swam.
“The invitational is always a fun end to the season. I let the athletes pick one event they want to swim, and this gives them a chance to try something new or sharpen up a race they are going to swim at championships,” Dotterweich said. “I think this keeps them focused and allows for a lower pressure situation. It being our senior day was also fun.”
LaCourt showed tremendous skill in both individual and relay events. This is quite impressive, given how different the two types of races are.
“I have always thought relays were more fun than individual events, because you get to swim with your other teammates and build off their energy,” LaCourt said. “Once one person swims fast, it really motivates everyone else.”
Even though relays bring her more enjoyment, LaCourt does not slump when it comes to individual races.
It cannot be stressed enough how remarkable the Blue Wave’s swimming has been this season, even without having a home pool. LaCourt is pleased how the team has faced this adversity, and thinks the team has a well deserved break starting at the season’s end.
“[Not] having a pool was definitely a big inconvenience because we had to travel every day to different local schools and the divers had to drive out to Monroe Community College to practice,” LaCourt said. “It was time consuming and got old fast, but I am really proud of everyone for being so resilient and not quitting, even though things were difficult for us this year. We definitely deserve the good times to come following the end of our season.”
Only the Bomber Invitational at Ithaca College on Saturday Feb. 10 lies between Geneseo and the SUNYAC Championships.The pool deck is buzzing with anticipation, with every player prepared to swim at the highest levels. With past success backing them up, the team is ready for another shot at victory.
“This year in particular, we have some really fast freshmen girls, so it will be fun to watch them race for the first time. I am especially excited to see [freshman swimmer] Olivia Hilt perform,” LaCourt said. “Our team has won SUNYACs for the past 10 years, so we are definitely trying for a win again this year.”
Even though the SUNYAC Championships are just around the corner, it is important that the team focuses on one meet at a time. This means they must stay sharp for the next matchup in the Bomber Invitational, and should not let thoughts of the championship cloud their minds just yet