LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Despite four new Coppola Pool records, the Rider University men's swimming and diving team was defeated by Villanova in a tight match over two days, falling 152-146. The Broncs drop to 0-4 on the season, while the Wildcats improve to 1-1.
The Bronc men won nine events in the meet.
Rider got off to a strong start with
Nicholas Lane (Hackettstown, NJ/Lane Academy),
Alex Boeckx (Folsom, PA/Ridley),
Tivon Benjamin (Palm Bay, FL/St. Anthony's Secondary School), and
Billy Ruddy (Newton, NJ/Kittatinny Regional) setting a new Coppola Pool record in the 200-medley relay, swimming 1:30.53.
In the 200-free,
Ethan Rogowski (Waterford, NY/Shenendehowa) and
Dawid Turos (Riverwoods, IL/Deerfield) swam one-two finishing in 1:41.52 and 1:41.75.
Lane would get the Broncs a win, swimming 51.20 in the 100-back.
Another pool record would fall in the 100-breast when
Maxwell Connelly (Kinnelon, NJ/Kinnelon) and Boeckx swam to a one-two finish in 55.45 and 57.00. Connelly earned his second pool record of the night, swimming 2:03.57 to win the 200-breast.
Ruddy earned the win in the 50-free, stopping the clock at 20.88.
In the diving well,
Stavros Xantheas (West Orange, NJ/West Orange), earned a win on the 1-meter, scoring 258.38.
Benjamin got an individual win in the 100-fly, touching the wall at 50.09.
The Broncs closed out the night with a fourth pool record, with Turos,
Cesar Alvarez (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/The Ashton School), Rogowski, and Ruddy combining for a swim of 3:04.07 in the 400-free relay.
NOTES & QUOTES
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Luke Mesco (Mullica Hill, NJ/Mother of Divine Grace) was third in the 200-fly.
- Ruddy and Alvarez swam two-three in the 100-free.
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Derek Fantano (Morris, CT/Holy Cross) was second in the 200-back.
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Nelson Paraison (Newark, NJ/Hackensack) was third in the 100-fly.
- Xantheas was third on the 3-meter.
UP NEXT
Rider is now off until Nov. 21 when the Broncs head to Providence, RI for the four-day Brown Invitational.
