NEWBERG, Ore. – The Whitworth University swimming teams saw their first meet competition in six weeks and took advantage by sweeping George Fox University on the road in a Northwest Conference dual. The Pirate women won all 11 events in a 148-54 victory over the Bruins, while the men won nine of 11 events in a 143-61 victory.
Both teams remained unbeaten in dual meets this season against NWC opponents.
Isabella Hoopes won two individual events and also swam the breaststroke leg on the winning 400-yard medley relay to lead the Whitworth women. The Pirates opened the meet with the medley relay victory as Julia Schoenfelder, Hoopes, Maria Girbacea and Makhaela Parrish went 4:10.20.
Hoopes went on to win the 200-yard individual medley in 2:13.07 and the 500-yard freestyle in 5:27.69.
Grace Esteban also won two individual events for the Bucs, touching first in both the 50-yard freestyle (25.65) and the 200-yard butterfly (2:18.79).
Paige Orlando took first in the 100-yard freestyle in 56.74 and then led off the winning 400-yard freestyle relay at the end of the meet. She was joined by Julia and Ella Schoenfelder and Parrish for a winning time of 3:53.32.
Other individual event winners for the women included Alisa King in the 1000-yard freestyle (11:16.45), Jillian Larrabee in the 200-yard freestyle (2:00.97), Taylor Thorne in the 200-yard backstroke (2:13.98) and Megan Bonikowsky in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:28.94).
No Whitworth man won more than one individual event as the Pirate depth came to the forefront once again. Kai Hayashida, Alex Popov, Henry Brewster and Parker Dangleis combined to win the 400 medley relay in 3:31.64.
Hayashida went on to win the 200 I.M. in 1:58.58, Popov won the 200 breaststroke in 2:15.86 and Brewster touched first in the 200 butterfly in 1:57.88.
Austin Elwyn took first place in the 200 freestyle in 1:49.58, leading a 1-2-3 Pirate finish. Emmett Scott won the 100 freestyle in 49.94. Both were on the closing 400 freestyle relay that touched first in 3:15.53. They were joined by Haden Keener and Mason Groth.
Carl McNabb won the 200 back (1:58.35) and Jake Sachtjen took first in the 500 freestyle (4:53.34).
The Whitworth teams will return to action next weekend, hosting Lewis & Clark on Friday night and Pacific (Ore.) on Saturday in the final home duals of the season.
