Swimming falls to UVA

Swimming and diving head coach Chuck Knoles summed up Saturday’s performance best.

“We… Swimming and diving head coach Chuck Knoles summed up Saturday’s performance best.

“We weren’t very good today,” he said dejectedly.

Facing a nationally prominent Virginia team, Pitt was overmatched, finding themselves unable to get a single first-place finish in the pool with losses on both the men’s and women’s sides on Saturday. Both teams fell to 3-2 in dual meets.

The Panther men, the No. 23 team entering the contest, dropped a 128-106 decision to the No. 10 Cavaliers. Pitt was simply overpowered; junior Darryl Washington’s second-place time in the 200-yard freestyle was the only finish above third place for the team. The Panthers took first-place points later in the meet, but only because the Virginia swimmers who placed ahead of them were swimming exhibition once the victory was secured.

Freshman Jeremy Stultz won in the one- and three-meter diving events to boost Pitt’s score, but the day still belonged to Virginia. The Cavaliers were led by Fran Crippen’s three wins, as well as Michael Raab’s pool record in the 200 freestyle.

The talent of the Virginia team did not surprise Knoles, a proponent of swimming a tough non-conference schedule.

“They have a boatload of men and women that are phenomenally talented,” he said. “[Crippen] was the most sought-after recruit in the country two years ago.”

The women fell to the No. 16-ranked Cavaliers by a score of 127-109. Their day started off well, with teams taking second and third in the meet’s opening event, the 400 medley relay. But after that, the Panthers’ individual swimmers garnered just four top-three finishes.

Two of those went to sophomore Kristin Brown, who finished second in the 100- and 200-meter freestyle events. In a meet where her team was strokes behind, Brown hung with the Cavaliers. She was pleased, but not surprised with her performance; she knew going into her races that she could swim competitively.

“We practiced with [Virginia on Friday] night,” she explained, “So we knew their times.”

While Knoles said the women had a “sub-par day” in the pool, he and his coaching staff were very encouraged by what they saw on the diving board.

Colleen Kristobak won the one- and three-meter diving, continuing what has thus far been a stellar season. In spite of all of his frustration at the disappointing overall performance, Knoles was able to smile when speaking of his junior diver.

“Our diving was phenomenal,” he explained. “Colleen has put herself in a position to go to the women’s NCAA meet.”

He added: “She has made life choices — health-wise, curriculum — to improve.”

Pitt does not have a meet again until Jan. 4, when they travel to Princeton. In the meantime, the Panthers will train over the winter break, including a trip to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for a session. Knoles emphasized that the Florida trip, while very important for physical training, will also concentrate on improving his swimmers’ mental approach to the pool.

“We’ve got to make some decisions as teams as to whether we’re going to put together a team that can handle a team like Virginia,” he explained. “It’s inexcusable for a Division I team to go through a meet and not win one event.”