Chris Culkin
LEXINGTON, Ky./SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Wittenberg Tigers kicked off the second half sprint to the finish of the 2007-08 season with a pair of solid performances in dual meet action. The Tigers traveled to Kentucky and came away with a pair of victories over homestanding Transylvania on Friday before falling to national powerhouse Denison on short rest Saturday on Senior Day in the HPER Center Natatorium.
For the 2007-08 season, the Tiger men stand 4-4 overall, while the women are 5-2. Coming off a successful Florida training trip that started the month, the weekend's events were a fine kickoff to four straight weeks of dual meet action that preps the teams for the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) championship meet in Canton Feb. 14-16.
Against Transylvania, the Tiger men spread the individual wins out amongst freshman Chris Culkin (Novi, Mich./Northville), sophomore Neil Anderson (Lakewood, Ohio/Lakewood), sophomore Brandon Bock (Bryan, Ohio/Bryan), senior Brian Harris (Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg), sophomore Matt Erenpreiss (Columbus, Ohio/Centennial) and freshman Matt Higbee (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) for a 139-100 team victory. Anderson was the only double-winner in the group, although Culkin followed up his win in the 1000-yard freestyle with a second-place finish to Anderson in the 500-yard freestyle.
On the women's side, senior Kaitlin Clark (Wakeman, Ohio/Firelands), sophomore Adeline Brym (Mansfield, Ohio/Senior), sophomore Kristin Elber (Brunswick, Ohio/Brunswick), freshman Megan Shubitowski (Columbus, Ohio/Watterson) and freshman Katie Sbrocco (Highland Heights, Ohio/Mayfield) were all individual winners as the Tigers captured a 165-73 team victory. Brym and Clark each won three events, while Elber was a double-winner.
Against Denison, the Tiger men were on the short end of a 145-75 score. Culkin turned in a second-place finish in the 1000-yard freestyle, Bock took runner-up honors in the 50-yard freestyle and Anderson placed second in the 200-meter freestyle.
The only individual winner Wittenberg had against Denison was Brym, who placed first in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle events. It wasn't enough, however, as the Tigers were on the short end of a 133-83 score.