Division II Meet Of The Week: Queens Sweeps Wingate

Defending Division II National Champions Queens University of Charlotte took on Wingate University this weekend, sweeping both teams in separate meets. The meet was a steamroll on the women’s side, with the Royals taking the meet 141-64. The men’s meet was much closer, with the Royals prevailing by just 5 points, 105-100.

While the score may not have reflected it, the women’s meet on paper was about as close a match-up as you could imagine, as Wingate’s women finished second behind Queens at the 2016 NCAA Championships. Queens’ women were recently ranked 2nd in the first CSCAA coaches poll, while Wingate was 9th. The Royals ended up winning all but one event throughout the meet, with several swimmers recording provisional NCAA qualifying times in the process. McKenzie Stevens was a two event winner individually, recording B cuts in the 200 freestyle (1:51.46) and the 500 freestyle (5:01.77), as was Alexandra Marshall in the 50 free (24.00) and 100 butterfly (57.06. Hannah Peiffer (100 back – 56.40), Dasha Talanova (100 breaststroke – 1:03.91), and Linda Baron (100 free – 51.96). Wingate’s only win came in the 200 IM, when Alexis Divelbiss touched first in a pool record 2:05.94.

The men’s meet was much closer, with the Royals taking only seven events to win the meet by just 5 points at Wingate’s home pool. Junior stand-out Dion Dreesens expanded outside of his usual mid-distance events to open the meet with a win the 1,000 freestyle (9:26.36) before getting touched out in the 200 freestyle (1:40.68) by Wingate’s Leif-Henning Kluever (1:40.50), preventing back to back wins on what is a tough double. Nick Arakelian was a double event winner, taking the 200 IM (1:49.95) and 500 free (4:39.73), as was Paul Pijulet in the 100 butterfly (48.86) and 100 backstroke (49.35). The key for Queens was punctuating each side of the meet with relay wins. The Royals took the opening 200 medley by just 4-one-hundredths (1:33.36 to 1:33.40) and the closing 400 free relay (3:02.22).

Wingate show fight throughout the meet, consistently grabbing second and third in events won by the Royals. They also had a few sweeps of their own, 1-3 in the 50 free led by Mehdi Zeraidi (21.47) and 1-2 in the 100 breast led by Nathan Kimbel (57.57). Kluever also won the 100 freestyle (46.15), giving himself two individual wins for the day. This was Wingate’s first meet of the season, as their opener against St. Andrew’s was postponed due to Hurricane Matthew. They will take on Lenoir-Rhyne, Catawba, and Limestone in a quad meet next weekend. The Royals will be back in action at home next Saturday against Gardner Webb and Richmond.

You can find full meet results here.

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