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WAYNE, N.J. – While the William Paterson men's swimming and diving team just returned from their winter break training trip in the warmth of Trinidad, their hot streak didn't fade when it returned to Wayne Jan. 13, topping Lehman (3-5), 108-98, to open the 2018 half of the season. Prior to the meet, WP (9-1) honored its three seniors,
David Hauck (Somerset, N.J./Franklin),
Sammuel Melendez (West Haverstraw, N.Y./North Rockland) and
Anthony Taboadela (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Hills) for Senior Day.
With a trio of wins against Lehman, Taboadela has now won 29 of 29 individual events this season, taking the 200 IM (2:05.05), 100 back (57.71) and 100 breast (1:03.97). The Rockaway, N.J., native also outpaced the field consisting of six Pioneers in the 400 IM (4:41.00).
Melendez also brought in a strong performance on Senior Day, claiming two individual victories for WP by touching first in the 200 free (1:53.76) and 100 fly (54.84). Also, Melendez was the third to swim in WP's 200 free relay winning time (1:35.91), consisting of sophomore
Eamon Logue (Vernon, N.J./Vernon Twp.), sophomore
Jimmy Sharkey (Hamilton, N.J./Hamilton West) and junior
Drew Macchia (Chatham, N.J./Chatham).
Macchia and Sharkey joined Melendez as double winners. At a time of 23.23, Macchia narrowly ousted Logue (23.85) to take the 50 free, and did the same in a neck-and-neck 100 free (51.52). Sharkey used strong times to pull ahead and win the 1,000 free (11:34.97) and 500 free (5:37.12). Right behind Sharkey in both the 1,000 and 500 frees was WP freshman
Bradley Belina (Paramus, N.J. /Paramus), who posted second-place times in the 1,000 free (11:50.54) and 500 free (5:37.12).
Diving was swept by the Pioneers, as sophomore
Emmanuel Garcia (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) posted the top score in the one-meter dive (161.18) and junior
William Barrett (Pompton Lakes, N.J. /Pompton Lakes ) tallied a triumph in the three-meter dive (165.24), just points ahead of Garcia (164.62).
The Pioneers haven't lost in over two months now and will carry their 9-1 record into a home meet against SUNY Cobleskill (5-2) Tuesday, Jan. 16, at 6:00 p.m.
For all of the latest information on the Pioneers, visit
http://www.wpupioneers.com and
http://www.wpupioneers.com/socialmedia.
