Wolverines Men Win Battle With Long-time Big Ten Rival Hoosiers

ANN ARBOR, MI, January 26. MICHIGAN protected its home turf Saturday in coming up with an exciting win against Indiana, 158.5-141.5, per reports from the visiting squad.

The Wolverines won 10 of 16 events, led by a triple from US Olympian Peter Vanderkaay (100-200-500 freestyles) and doubles from Chris DeJong (100-200 back) and Davis Tarwater (100-200 fly). IU was paced by senior diver Marc Carlton and junior breaststroker Kevin Swander with two wins each.

In the opening event of the meet, Michigan jumped out to an early 11-6 lead over IU in the 200-yard medley relay when junior Chris DeJong, senior Christian Vanderkaay, junior Davis Tarwater and junior Peter Vanderkaay posted an NCAA provisional time of 1:28.77 to win the event. IU's quartet of freshman Ben Hesen, Swander, senior Murph Halasz and sophomore Colin Russell also cleared the B-cut standard with a 1:29.30 for second place. That effort also stands as the fourth fastest in IU history. The Hoosier squad of junior Mike Jones, junior Thomas Clavier, sophomore Scott Tanner and sophomore Lee Houchin finished in third in 1:32.95.

The Cream and Crimson countered in the 1,650-yard freestyle when junior Sergiy Fesenko claimed the crown in 15:17.63. That time stands as the fourth-fastest time in school history and also cleared the provisional qualifying standard. Freshman Alex Brunfeldt made it a top-two sweep for IU with a second-place 15:18.82, which is also the sixth-fastest time in program annals. His clocking also eclipsed the B-cut mark. At the end of the event, IU stood in the lead, 19-17.

Michigan responded in the 200-yard freestyle to retake a 29.5-25.5 lead. Peter Vanderkaay touched in a provisional time of 1:37.81, while freshman Todd Patrick took second for IU in 1:39.20. Senior Chuck Sayao placed third for U-M in 1:39.66. Also of note, freshman Lee Houchin notched a career-best 1:40.72 for fourth-place.

The Wolverines stretched their lead to 41.5-32.5 in the 100-yard backstroke when DeJong picked up the win in a B-cut 47.98, while Hesen placed second for IU in 49.22. Freshman Dane Grenda finished in third for U-M in 51.00.

Indiana answered with a huge effort in the 100-yard breaststroke to tie Michigan at 46.5-46.5 when Swander out-touched Christian Vanderkaay (55.66) in 55.56 to win the event. Swander's time also cleared the NCAA provisional mark. Junior Hank Baldwin finished in third for IU in 57.08. Notably, freshman Ronnie Hehn posted a personal-best time of 58.31 for seventh place.

Michigan jumped back out to a 62.5-49.5 margin in the 200-yard butterfly with a top-three sweep. Junior Davis Tarwater won the event in a B-cut 1:46.89 time, while freshman Alex Vanderkaay finished in second in 1:49.76 for U-M. Senior Nicholas Douville rounded out the top three with a 1:50.15. Sophomore Matt Jensen was the top finisher for IU with a fourth-place 1:50.27.

The Cream and Crimson demonstrated its never-say-die attitude with a top-four sweep of its own in the 50-yard freestyle to tie the meet at 65.5-65.5. Russell edged his personal-best time with a first-place 20.86, while sophomore Drew Ossakow finished in second in a career-best 21.35. Patrick placed third for IU in 21.68, while senior David Winck took fourth in 21.79.

In the one-meter diving break, Indiana rolled to an 81.5-68.5 lead with a second consecutive top-four sweep. Carlton claimed the crown with a 240.30, while senior Alex Burns took second with a 218.15. Additionally, junior Jesse Rappaport placed third with a 207.60, while junior Ryan Fagan ended up in fourth with a 207.30 tally.

In the 100-yard freestyle, Indiana maintained a 90.5-78.5 margin with another strong sprint performance. Peter Vanderkaay won the event for U-M in a B-cut 44.55, while Russell placed second in 44.95. Meanwhile, Houchin took third in 45.84.

In the 200-yard backstroke, Michigan bounced back to take a 94.5-93.5 lead with a top-three sweep. DeJong claimed the title in a B-cut 1:46.70, while Grenda placed second in 1:47.32 and Sayao wound up in third in 1:48.64. Jones touched as the top IU finisher with a 1:51.23 for fourth place. Also of note, Jensen posted a personal-best 1:51.95 for fifth place.

Indiana replied in the 200-yard breaststroke to take a 105.5-101.5 lead. IU event record-holder Swander blazed to the title in 2:01.77, while Christian Vanderkaay finished in second for U-M in 2:03.23. U-M junior Andre Albright placed third in 2:04.55. Freshman Alec Haley notched a career-best time of 2:05.15 in a fifth-place performance, while Hehn did the same with a 2:08.53 for seventh.

The 500-yard freestyle featured three NCAA provisional times as Michigan jumped back into a 115.5-110.5 lead. Peter Vanderkaay finished first in 4:21.92, while senior Andrew Hurt took second for U-M in 4:22.15. Fesenko recorded the seventh-best time in school history with a third-place 4:22.16. Incredibly, Brunfeldt shaved five seconds off his previous best with a fourth-place 4:29.92.

In the 100-yard butterfly, the Wolverines extended their lead to 126.5-118.5. Tarwater won the title in a B-cut 48.54, while Clavier finished in second for IU in 49.30. Tanner rounded out the top three with a 50.22 clocking.

In the final three-meter diving break, the Hoosiers completed another top-four sweep to re-take a 134.5-129.5 lead. Carlton snared both event titles with a first-place 249.60, while Burns took second with a 205.25. Freshman Taylor Roberts placed third with a 203.30 tally, while sophomore Brian Mariano wound up in fourth with a 189.10.

Michigan came back to take a 143.5-139.5 margin in the 400-yard IM. Sayao claimed the crown in 3:54.33, while Alex Vanderkaay finished in second in 3:58.65. Jensen rounded out the top three with a 3:59.07 clocking. Also of note, Haley notched a career-best 4:04.86 for sixth place in the event.

Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, the Wolverines out-lasted the furious upset effort by Indiana, closing out the meet in the 800-yard freestyle relay. The U-M quartet of Tarwater, Hurd, Alex Vanderkaay and DeJong won the event in a B-cut time of 6:36.67, while the second squad of Christian Vanderkaay, freshman Johnny Austermann, senior Brendan Neligan and Sayao clocked a 6:50.52 for runner-up status. IU's top team of Fesenko, Russell, Winck and Houchin suffered a disqualification to make way for Brunfeldt, Swander, Baldwin and Jones' third-place time of 6:53.42. At the completion of the meet, Michigan downed IU, 158.5-141.5.

Next up, the divers travel north to Indianapolis, Ind., for the USA Diving International Team Selection Camp from Jan. 24-26, before rejoining the swim squad with a Crimson and Gold Cup battle in West Lafayette, Ind., on Feb. 5 at 1 p.m., to close out the dual-meet season.

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