Poets Host Pomona in SCIAC Swimming Action

Whittier College played host to Pomona-Pitzer Colleges in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference swimming action at Whittier High School on January 12.  The Poet men lost by a team score of 158-47 and the women were defeated 151-30.

Manny Sanchez '08 was the only Poet on either team to finish in first place in any event.  He did so twice, winning the 200-yard individual medley by over five seconds with a time of 2:00.14, and the 200-yard breaststroke by over 16 seconds with a time of 2:12.44.  Sam Benedum '09 finished second in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events, by less than two seconds combined.  He finished .2 seconds behind Pomona's Ryland Arnoldi in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 22.67 seconds.  It was Arnoldi that edged Benedum in the 100-yard freestyle as well; Benedum's time of 50.85 seconds was 1.7 seconds behind the first place finisher.  Will Jackson '11 finished second in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:59.97.  The 200-yard freestyle relay team of Sanchez, Jackson, Benedum and Chris Villanueva '09 took second in the event with a time of 1:32.56, just 1.1 seconds behind Pomona's top team.

Catherine Gouge '08 had the best finish of the day for the Whittier women, taking second in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:41.78.

The Poets are on the road for the rest of the season, beginning with a January 19 SCIAC showdown at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.  The meet begins with diving at 10:30am, followed by swimming at 11:00am.