West Virginia Men Edge Out Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, January 6. – Sophomore Adam Plutecki recorded a Trees Pool and school record, as the men's swimming and diving team dropped an intense meet to No. 20 West Virginia, 159-141, this afternoon. Heading into the first diving break the Panthers led by just four points but were tied at 132 with the final two events of the meet left. Pitt falls to 3-2 on the season and 2-2 in Big East action.

With the meet tied at 94 points and swimming in his first-competition meet of the season, Plutecki (Zielan Gora, Poland/High School #VII) recorded a pool and school record in the 200 breast with a time of 1:58.98. Plutecki's time eclipsed the four-year 1:59.42 record held by Randy Gertenbach.

Plutecki's time was also a NCAA B cut time and missed the NCAA A cut time by just a second. Plutecki later took second in the 200 IM with a time of 1:53.64.

The Panthers took a 107-100 lead after the 200 breast with the added help of junior Warren Barnes (Pickering, Ont./Dunbarton) placing second with a time of 2:02.43.

The diving points proved to be vital heading into the last two events of the meet. Pitt's divers opened the meet, as junior captain Jeremy Stultz (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) won the 3M boards. Stultz finished with 396.67 points for the victory. Sophomore Alex Volovetski (Brandon, Fla./Armwood) placed second in the same event with 389.25 points and redshirt freshman Eric Becker (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) scored 223.35 points for a fourth-place finish.

On the 1M board it was Volovetski winning the event with a score of 380.03. Stultz finished second with 341.85 points and tied the meet score at 132.

However the Panthers were held off as the Mountaineers won both the 200 IM and 400 free relay.

Winning multiple individual events for the Panthers was senior Jeff Leath (Mechanicsville, Va./New Community), who was victorious in the 100 (49.81) and 200 back (1:49.76) events. Leath finished second in the 50 free with a time of 21.06.

Plutecki, Leath and Barnes also swam on the 400 medley relay that placed second with a time of 3:23.60. Freshman Geoff Morgan (Mountainville, N.Y./Cornwell Central) joined them in the relay.

Junior Chris George (Jacksonville, Fla./The Bolles School) won the 1000 free with a first-place time of 9:28.32. George later took second in the 200 fly (1:53.18) and third in the 500 free (4:38.05).

In another close and exciting race, Barnes won the 100 breast with a time of 56.04. Senior Dave Montgomery (Thornton, Pa./Salesianum School) was the second Panther to touch the wall, as he finished fourth after stopping the clock at 58.47.

Sophomore Patrick Mansfield (Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade-Julienne) placed second in the 100 (46.29) and 200 free (1:42.00) for the Panthers.

Finishing with third-place performances were Morgan in the 100 fly (51.16); junior Scott Shearer (Allison Park, Pa./North Allegheny) in the 1000 free (9:47.81); Plutecki in the 200 free (1:42.30) and the 400 free relay team of Mansfield, sophomore Andrew Kyrejko (West Orange, N.J./The Montclair Kimberley Academy), Morgan and Kubicek (3:06.90).

The Panthers travel to College Park, Maryland next for a tri-meet against Maryland and Villanova on Friday, Jan 12 and Saturday, Jan. 13.

Results: 2007 PITT vs WVU – (01-06-2007 – 01-06-2007)

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