Pirates Clash with Providence in Home Debut
11/1/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - With a combined record of 9-1 through three events, the Seton Hall swimming & diving teams will look to continue their hot start on Saturday as the Pirates make their home debut against BIG EAST rival Providence.
The Friars sit on the opposite end of the spectrum early in the 2014-15 season, suffering a pair of sweeps at the hands of Bryant and Maine in their only two previous dual meets to this point.
For The Hall, the men have raced their way to a 4-1 mark due in large part to the increased depth in each event.
In dual meet competition, the Pirates totaled nine different individuals who finished with first-place performances followed by an impressive victory at defending MAAC champions Rider where seven different team members earned top honors in at least one event.
Senior diver Ben Mitchell (Milford, Pa.) remains atop the conference with four 300-plus point performances thus far this fall and the Milford native was one of two Pirates to take first-place points in a 2-1 showing against Drexel, Lafayette and Loyola (MD) last week.
Fellow senior James Logan (Wallingford, Pa.) was one of three Pirates to post a pair of wins against the Friars last season, helping SHU to a emphatic 175-118 victory, and will join Mitchell in making their first home appearance since adding their names to the BIG EAST Championship banners that hang inside Arthur E. Imperatore Natatorium.
Freshman Noah Yanchulis (Arnold, Md.) added the Pirates' lone victory in the pool in Baltimore, out-pacing the 200-free field.
Four other newcomers in Sean Sali (Bridgewater, N.J.), Zohar Suslovich (Holon, Israel), Cody Wimmer (Macungie, Pa.) and Matt Zebrowski (Sayreville, N.J.) combined for seven runner-up efforts at the quad meet, continuing a storyline that has seen the squad's group of 11 freshmen collectively elevate the level of performance.
There has been no shortage of standout performances for the Seton Hall women as well as the Pirates have shot out to an unbeaten 5-0 start with the help of a host of consistent contributors throughout the lineup.
Sophomore Melody Bush (Guelph, Ontario) was one of four female competitors to record multiple event victories at Loyola (MD), notching wins in the 200-IM and 100-back. Bush also added a second-place time in the 200-back and led off a triumphant showing for a team that included Megan Mallon (Glen Mills, Pa.), Gabi Levine (Garwood, N.J.) and Kat Carson (Katy, Texas) in the 200-medley relay.
Tessa Lindner (Sun Prairie, Wisc.) added a win in Baltimore as well and when these two teams met a season ago, it was the Class of 2017 trio of Bush, Lindner and Cece Henry (St. Charles, Mo.) that helped provide the difference with three victories during a dominant 176-119 win in Providence.
Junior Gabby Signorelli (Massapequa, N.Y.) delivered a precursor to her dual gold-medal winning performance from the diving board at the conference meet, sweeping both one and three meter competition against the Friars a year ago. Signorelli is also coming off a trip to Loyola in which she placed first and second respectively at one and three meters.
Start-time is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Follow @SHUSwimDive on Twitter for updates throughout the action.
