The Brandeis women’s swim team started off their season this school year with a 2-7 record and a ninth-place finish at the Gompei Invite in Worcester on Saturday Jan. 21. The men’s team came into the new year with a record of 2-6 and also a ninth-place finish at the Gompei Invite. The men’s team captured two wins while the women’s team split results. The wins followed the team’s losses to Trinity College in Hartford the previous weekend.
There were many outstanding performances from the women competing in the Judges’ meet against Trinity on Friday, Jan. 13. Kylie Herman ’19 had three first-place finishes in the 200-yard freestyle, 200-yard butterfly and in the 500-yard freestyle. Natalya Wozab ’20 made a splash with two first-place finishes, in the 100-yard breaststroke and in the 200-yard breaststroke. Genna Karp ’18 broke her personal best this season in the diving competition, in the three-meter dive, with a score of 147.60. The 40-yard freestyle relay team, of Abby Damsky ’18, Herman, Philippa Zheku ’20 and Fallon Katz ’20, finished second with a time of 3:58.94.
The men’s team also competed at Trinity with many strong performances. Tamir Zitelny ’20 took first place in the 100-yard butterfly and two second-place finishes in the 100-yard freestyle. Edan Zitelny ’17 finished second in the 200-yard butterfly and the 200-yard backstroke. Noah Ayers ’20 took second in the 500-yard freestyle. The men’s 400-yard freestyle relay team, of Thomas Alger ’20, Cameron Braz ’17, Taku Harada ’18 and Zitelny, finished second.
On Jan. 21, the Judges took to the pool again to take on Keene State and Bridgewater State at home. At this meet, seniors Zitelny, Braz and Eb Weber were honored by head coach Mike Kotch, who has spent six seasons with the Judges.
Tamir Zitelny had three first-place finishes at this meet, in the 200-yard butterfly, the 200-yard backstroke and the 100-yard butterfly. Ayers had two second-place finishes in the 1,000-yard freestyle and the 500-yard freestyle. Braz accomplished a first-place finish in the 50-yard freestyle, and two second place finished with the 200-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle. Edan Zitelny finished second in the 100-yard backstroke. The men came up with a win of 141-137 against Keene State and 117-102 Bridgewater.
The women’s team came up with a win, with a score of 193-95 against Bridgewater and 195-97 loss against Keene State. Wozab earned three individual first-place finishes, in the 100-yard breastroke, 200-yard breaststroke and the 200-yard IM. Herman earned two second-place finishes in the 1,000-yard freestyle and the 500-yard freestyle. The 200-yard freestyle team, Herman, Amy Sheinhait ’18, Abby Damsky ’18 and Yvette Smith ’20, finished second.
On Feb. 8 both teams will travel to Chicago for the UAA Conference Championships.
