Jan. 19, 2004

New Haven, Conn. - The University of Massachusetts men's swim team took their first loss of the season at the hands of Southern Connecticut State over the weekend, 151-135. The SCSU win marked the first time since 1965 that the Owls have defeated the Minutemen, ending a 4-0 UMass streak.

Massachusetts received solid efforts from several swimmers, led by junior Dylan Smith (Timonium, Md.) and freshman Evan Swisher (N. Bennington, Vt.). Smith won the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 1:54.87, while his marks of 1:44.84 in the 200-yard freestyle and 51.67 in the 100-yard butterfly earned him second-place honors. Swisher took the top spot in the 200-yard back, recording a time of 1:54.72. He then took second place in both the 200-yard individual medley and the 100-yard backstroke, with respective times of 1:59.01 and 53.46.

Several other Minutemen logged individual victories as well. Junior Justin Zeimetz (Rochester, N.H.) and freshmen Mike Cordes (Highland Lakes, N.J.), Jake Hogue (Grand Junction, Colo.) and Gordon Leonard (Cinnaminson, N.J.) took respective victories in the 100-yard back, the 100-yard breast, 200-yard breast and 50-yard freestyle events.

Both the men's and women's swimming and diving teams return to action on Saturday, Jan. 24, as they travel to Boston College for a 1:00 p.m. dual meet with the Eagles.