Princeton University Athletics
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Swimming/Diving Stands Second Heading Into Final Day Of EISLs
March 07, 2008 | Men's Swimming and Diving
There were a handful of strong swims in championship finals for the Princeton men's swimming and diving team, but as unfortunate reality likely also set in as well. The undefeated and nationally-ranked Harvard Crimson will end Princeton's two-year reign as champions after building a lead of more than 230 points with one day remaining.
The 200 medley relay team of Doug Lennox, Easton Chen, Michael Baity and Geoff Faux opened the night with a fourth-place finish in 1:31.04. Freshman Pat Biggs opened the individual finals with an eighth-place finish in the 1000 free (9:14.55). Biggs, as have several members of the Princeton freshman class, has shown true promise during his first league championship meet. Junior Robert Griest placed 10th in 9:17.10.
Princeton picked up third- and fourth-place finishes in the 400 IM. Junior Will Schaeffer took third overall in 3:53.22, while freshman Colin Hanna placed fourth in3:54.13; both were NCAA B-cut times. Princeton's closest bid for an individual title came in the 100 fly, when Lennox, the defending champion, placed second in 47.41. Harvard junior Bill Jones won it with a pool record time of 47.29. Lennox would come back later with a third-place effort in the 100 back finals (49.35).
Sophomore Jon Hartmann placed fifth in the 200 free (1:38.85), while classmate Christopher Quemana placed eighth (1:40.26). Junior Easton Chen added an eighth-place finish in the 100 breast (57.04), and the team of Hartmann, Michael Carter, Hanna and Schaffer took fourth in the 800 free relay (6:40.78).
Harvard leads the competition with 1039 points, while Princeton appears comfortably in second with 801.5 points. Yale is currently third with 623 points, although Navy and Columbia are both within striking distance. Saturday's championship finals will begin at 6 p.m., and the event schedule, along with all of Friday's times, can be found by clicking on the link above.