Pacific Lutheran Downs Willamette in Swimming

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Pacific Lutheran University outscored Willamette University in men's and women's swimming on Saturday, Nov. 15 at the WU Natatorium. The PLU women's team defeated the Bearcats, 147-58. The men's team for the Lutes downed Willamette, 135-70.

For Willamette, Cassie Tallman (Fr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) won two events for the women's team, while Mark Yuvienco took first place in two events for the men's team. Tallman was victorious in the 200-yard individual medley and the 200-yard breaststroke. Yuvienco triumphed in the 200-yard butterfly and the 500-yard freestyle.

Tallman's winning time in the 200 I.M. was 2:16.48. She won by more than three seconds over Shanell Sullenberger of PLU, who took second in 2:19.74. Tallman won the 200 breaststroke in 2:30.08. Sullenberger was second at 2:32.21 and her sister, Kiana Sullenberger, was third in 2:33.35.

Yuvienco achieved a time of 1:58.99 in the 200 butterfly. Matt Wehr was second for the Lutes in 2:03.07, touching out just before Dan Aki (So., Union City, CA/James Logan HS) of Willamette, who took third in 2:03.42.

Malia Santos (Jr., Kailua-Kona, HI/Kealakehe HS) of WU earned first place in the women's 200-yard butterfly. Her time was 2:23.09, just 0.54 in front of Erica Muller of PLU. Muller placed second in 2:23.63. Santos took second place in the 50-yard freestyle in 26.28 seconds. Michelle Hogan won the event for PLU in 25.77 seconds.

Alika Masei (So., Salem, OR/West Salem HS) was a close runner-up in the men's 200-yard backstroke. Cody Hartman finished first for the Lutes in 2:01.46. Masei completed the race just 0.42 later in 2:01.88.

In the men's 1,000-yard freestyle, Willamette's Shelby Merrill (So., Thousand Oaks, CA/Westlake HS) earned second place with a time of 10;51.76. Hunter Cosgrove of PLU won the race in 10;33.91.

Both of PLU's teams are 4-0 on the season and 4-0 in the Northwest Conference. Willamette's teams fell to 0-4 overall and 0-4 in the NWC.

The Bearcats will return to action on Saturday, Nov. 22, when they host a meet with Pacific University, College of Idaho, Mills College (Calif.) and Trinity Lutheran College (Wash.). The action is set to begin at 10 a.m. (PST).