Gophers Defeat Arizona State 176-124

TEMPE, Arizona.January 14. THE No. 8 University of Minnesota men's swimming and diving team won nine events this afternoon en route to a 176-124 victory over Arizona State at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center in Tempe, Ariz. The Gophers, who improved to 8-0 on the year, visited the Sun Devils at the conclusion of their winter training trip in Hawaii.

The Gopher began the meet with a dominating performance in the 200 medley relay. The Gophers B team of Dan Berve, Colin Lee-To, Neil Osten and Igor Cerensek won with a time of 1:29.99. The Gophers' A team finished second in 1:31.91 to give Minnesota a commanding 15-2 lead after one event.

The Sun Devils climbed back when CJ Nuess won the 1000 freestyle for ASU in 9:13.49. Senior Travis Beckerle was Minnesota's best finisher in third at 9:15.81. Arizona State pulled within four points at 20-16 but the meet wouldn't be close for long. Tyler Schmidt won the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:39.99 and Michael Woodson finished second in 1:40.14 to help Minnesota open a 35-20 lead after three events.

The Gophers expanded the margin to 51-23 in the 100 backstroke and never looked back. David Plummer touched the wall first in 49.57, followed by Berve in 49.94 and Russ Payne in 52.08. The Gophers went 1-2 in the 100 breaststroke, led by Lee-To in first with a time of 55.96. Drew Knoechel was second in 56.43.

Arizona State picked up a win in the 200 butterfly from David Kolozar, who clocked a time of 1:48.83. Minnesota's Adam Mitchell was second in 1:50.28. The Gophers picked up big team points in the 50 freestyle, finishing 1-2-4-5. Cerensek picked up the individual victory in 20.76, followed by Osten in 20.95.

In one-meter diving action, NCAA champion Joona Puhakka won for the Sun Devils with a score of 426.80 while Shaun Kennedy led the Gophers in third place (287.85). Puhakka also won the three-meter board competition later with a score of 434.77 while John Schmidt led Minnesota with 317.70 points.

Mario Delac posted the win in the 100 freestyle in 45.35, edging Cerensek who timed a 45.50. Schmidt was third in 45.99. Mitchell returned to win the 200 backstroke with a time of 1:48.67 while Plummer was second in 1:50.62. Arizona State went 1-2 in the 200 breaststroke, topped by Joey Clements in 2:04.53. Knoechel paced Minnesota in third at 2:05.29.

Zach Wood took third in the 500 freestyle (4:34.45) to lead Minnesota in the 500 free behind the Sun Devils' Lucas Acevedo. Nuess won the 400 individual medley in 3:53.24 while Mitchell was second in 3:56.05, marking the first time Mitchell did not win the event this season. Berve won the 100 butterfly for Minnesota in 49.23, followed by Osten in 50.26.

Minnesota finished the meet the way it started by dominating the 400 freestyle relay. The Gophers' A team of Woodson, Delac, Osten and Cerensek breezed to a win in 3:00.34 while the Gophers' B team of Evan Bernier, Schmidt, Jason Timmer and Matt Engel was second in 3:03.92.

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