University of Virginia Library

Swimmers Jolted By Terrapins, 82-31

BY BILL BERNO

"Right at the beginning,
two-tenths of a second meant
ten points," muttered Cavalier
swimmer Mark Bernardino in
summarizing Saturday's
disappointing 82-31 loss to
Maryland.

"We should have done
better. There's no excuse for a
poor performance like that",
continued the third-year
co-captain. As Coach Ron
Good had said before the meet,
"each event will be a tough
event", and the Cavs just
weren't up to the task.

The loss dropped the
tankers to an 8-3 record for the
dual meet season, and dims
their hopes of placing high in
next month's ACC
championship meet.

Bernardino was the star
performer of the host team,
winning both the 500 and
1000-yard freestyles in
pool-record times. His pair of
victories were the only first
places registered by the Cavs.

But there were lots of close
seconds. After Maryland ran
away with the medley relay,
Bernardino stroked away from
the field in the 1000 to win
with a time of 10:04.6.

Then things began to turn
sour for the Cavaliers as Scott
Balderston was nipped in the
200 freestyle and Jeff
McKeever and Frans DeJong
were denied in the 50 freestyle.
Each time, Virginia swimmers
swam good times only to be
outtouched at the finish.

As expected, the Terps
swept both diving events,
gaining a 16-2 scoring
advantage on the springboards.
Surprisingly, Bernardino was
held out of the 200 butterfly
to rest up for the 500 freestyle,
and Maryland swimmers took
first and second in the
butterfly.

In the backstroke,
co-captain Gerry Rollins was
victimized and had to settle for
second place. Fortunately for
the demoralized Cavs,
Bernardino was swimming in
the next event, and "Dino"
crushed the field again to win
in a time of 4:53.9.

Al Ettenger also had bad
luck in the 200 breaststroke,
finishing third behind a pair of
Terps. Finally, the seventh
pool record of the day was
posted when Maryland's
freestyle relay was clocked in
3:19.3.

Most of the Cav times were
not season-best efforts,
indicating that the swimmers
will have to work hard to
prepare for their series of
post-season championship
meets.

Coming up Thursday,
Friday and Saturday is the
State Intercollegiate Meet, to
be held in the U-Hall
natatorium. The Cavaliers
were undefeated in state dual
meets, and will be prohibitive
favorites to defend their state
titles.

The meet will be run on the
format of the NCAA
championship meet with the
400 individual medley and
the 1650 freestyle replacing
the 200 individual medley and
the 1000 freestyle.

Bernardino will swim the
1650 in an attempt to beat the
NCAA qualifying standard of
16:45.0. "Right now, I'm
about ten seconds under the
pace," commented "Dino"