Princeton Gets Final Touch To Clinch Three-Point Thriller Over Navy

Saturday, January 6

Annapolis, Md.

2:00 PM

Princeton University

151.5

148.5

Navy

Princeton University men's swimming and diving vs. Columbia, Princeton, NJ, December 9, 2017.

Cole Buese won two events to help Princeton post a 151.5-148.5 victory at Navy Saturday afternoon.

Photo by: Beverly Schaefer

Princeton Gets Final Touch To Clinch Three-Point Thriller Over Navy

January 06, 2018 | Men's Swimming and Diving

COMPLETE RESULTS

The last two meets between Princeton and Navy in Annapolis were decided by an average of 9.5 points, so it was fair to hope for an exciting dual between the two historic programs Saturday afternoon.

Few probably anticipated it coming down to the last scoring hand to touch the wall, but that was exactly what happened in Lejeune Hall. Princeton's 'B' relay in the 400 free topped the Navy 'B' by less than two seconds to score the decisive points in a thrilling 151.5-148.5 victory for the Tigers.

The win improves Princeton to 7-2 on the season, and it marks the sixth straight win for the Tigers. Princeton will be off for finals now, and it will return to the water during the first weekend of February for the annual H-Y-P meet in Boston.

Navy got off to a strong start with victories in the 200 medley relay and the 1000 free, but Murphy McQuet picked up a big early win by taking the 200 free in 1:39.39, less than .2 of a second faster than his Navy rival. Former All-American Alex Lewis followed with another tight win in the 100 back (50.16), and freshman Corey Lau added a thrilling win in the 100 breast in 56.83.

Senior Corey Okubo and junior Cole Buese have been among Princeton's most dependable swimmers over the last two years, and that duo went 1-2 in the 200 fly to help build the Tiger advantage. Those two were in a race of their own, as they topped the rest of the field by more than three seconds, but Okubo claimed the win by .05 with a time of 1:48.42.

Princeton's winning streak hit four when Christian Feiler won the 50 free in 20.74, and then Colton Young (309.90) and Samuel Chiacchia (301.50) went 2-3 in the 1-meter diving competition.

Feiler took fourth in the 100 free, but Buese made sure Navy didn't get full momentum by winning the 200 back in 1:48.56. Teammate Wade O'Brien added a second-place finish in 1:50.01; two events later, teammate Sam Tarter took second in the 500 free in 4:34.67.

Senior tri-captain Ben Schafer won the 100 fly in 48.88, and Young added another runner-up finish in the 3-meter event with 349.50 points. Teammate Charlie Minns took third with 339.90 points.

Buese became the first Tiger to double during the afternoon by winning the 200 IM in 1:50.62, and that helped Princeton go into the final event with a much-needed lead. Navy needed to take two of the top three spots in the 400 free, including the top spot, and the Midshipmen did manage to win the event. However, the Princeton 'A' relay took second in 3:01.12, and the 'B' finished in 3:03.92, more than 1.5 seconds faster than Navy, to clinch the team win.