South Orange, NJ – The Rider University men's swimming and diving team opened the 2017-18 campaign with a loss to host Seton Hall in a dual meet at the Arthur E. Imperatore Natatorium on Saturday afternoon.

The setback snapped a streak of 17 straight dual meets for the Broncs, while the host Pirates avenged a setback to Rider in Lawrenceville last season. Seton Hall is now 1-1 on dual meets on the year.

Sophomore Justin Carey (Landenberg, PA/Avon Grove) opened the season strong for Rider, finishing first in three events and second in another. Carey was part of the 200 medley relay quartet alongside Carter Paules (Emmaus, PA/Emmaus), Maciej Paz (Garfield, NJ/Paramus Catholic) and Vincent Gibbons (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick) that won with a time of 1:32.66 to score 11 points for Rider. He also won both the 100 back (50.23) and 100 fly (50.19), while finishing second in the 200 back (1:52.76).

Senior Zack Molloy (Toms River, NJ/Toms River HS North) started the year by winning the 100 free with a time of 46.80. He was also part of the 400 free relay alongside Gibbons, Paz and Daniel Bonge (Allentown, PA/Salisbury High School) that won with a time of 3:09.93.

The Rider divers were dominant on Saturday, taking home the top-three spots in both 1M and 3M events. Freshman Dillon Walles (The Woodlands, TX/The Woodlands High School) won the 1M with a mark of 316.20, while Joseph Warker (Reading, PA/Wilson) came in second with 313.42 and Patrik Rollefson (Paron,AR/ Pulaski Academy) landed in third 257.55. In the 3M, Walles was also victorious (343.20) followed by Warker (270.37) and Rollefson (247.35).

Notes & Quotes
"Our guys fought hard. We won 8 out of 16 events including the last 4 events of the meet. That final surge wasn't enough. The coaches are confident  that our depth will get stronger as the season progresses. Our divers were great today they kept us in the meet." Rider Head Coach Steve Fletcher

- The dual meet loss was the first since the 2014-2015 season for Rider.
- The men came in first in eight events, including the 400 free relay and the 200 medley relay.
- Gibbons also finished second in the 50 free with a time of 21.62.
- Molloy was third in the 50 free, finishing with a mark of 21.81.
- Paules was second in both the 100 breast and 200 breast.
- Molloy was second in the 200 free with a time of 1:42.27.
- The Broncs swept the diving events, earning the top-three spots in both the 1M and 3M.
- Lucas Musselman was third in the 200 back and won the 200 IM.

Up Next
Rider travels to up Route 206 to face neighboring Princeton next Friday, October 13.