The College of Wooster men’s swimming and diving team swept its first two duals of the season, easily taking care of visiting Mt. Union College 132-75 on Friday night and then traveling to rival Wittenberg University Saturday afternoon where the Fighting Scots prevailed by a 139-100 count, while Wooster’s women’s squad split the two meets, coasting past the Purple Raiders 152-80 and suffering a 145-106 setback at the hands of the Tigers.

Individual winners for the Scots against Mt. Union included Eric Babbitt in the 200 freestyle (1:51.32), Brendan Horgan in the 200 butterfly (2:07.57), Michael Saltzman in the 100 free (50.07), Adel El-Adawy in the 200 backstroke (2:05.53), and Logan Laberge in the 500 free (5:10.15). Also of note, Dustin Klein swept the one-meter (196.35) and three-meter (173.80) diving events.

At Wittenberg, a much more competitive meet, Wooster started out with a victory in the 200 medley relay, as LaBerge, Andrew Olsen, Horgan, and Saltzman teamed for a first-place swim of 1:40.52. The Scots built on their lead via a win in the first individual event, as Babbitt took top honors in the 1000 free (10:46.89). Later, John Cushing came up with a key win in the 50 free (22.92), edging a pair of Tigers to the wall, followed up by Horgan taking first in the 200 individual medley (2:05.04). Babbitt was actually a double winner, also earning a victory in the 100 fly (53.99), while LaBerge and Jeremy Bervoets added triumphs in the 100 back (56.22) and 100 breaststroke (1:04.45), respectively.

For the Scot women, Tamari Farquharson broke the 25-second barrier in the 50 free, recording a time of 24.84 during the first individual race of her collegiate career, which already stands as the eighth-fastest in school history. Also taking first-place against Mt. Union were Molly Bittner in the 200 free (2:03.05), Amanda Bailey in the 200 IM (2:21.22), Kristine Mann in the 200 fly (2:25.47), Alice Case in the 100 free (55.50), Meggie Edwards in the 200 back (2:19.18), Lindsey Dorko in the 200 breast (2:43.77), and Caitlin McNulty in three-meter diving (186.15).

Like its male counterparts, the Wooster women got the Wittenberg meet off to a good start, with Edwards, Allie Kibler-Campbell, Case, and May Tobar winning the 200 medley relay in 1:54.35, a full four seconds ahead of the Tigers’ top team (1:58.38). The Scots would struggle in the individual events, though, as Edwards in the 100 back (1:02.94), Syd Kelly in the 100 breast (1:11.49), and McNulty in three-meter diving (184.85) were the lone winners.

Next Saturday, Wooster continues dual-meet action at Ohio Northern University (2-0 men, 2-0 women).