University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Panthers Just Edged by No. 11 Virginia, 122-119
11/11/2000 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Panthers Just Edged by No. 11 Virginia, 122-119
11/11/2000
Pittsburgh - University of Pittsburgh men's swimming and diving team (5-1/2-0) took 11th-ranked Virginia (4-0) to the wire before dropping a 122-119 decision to the Cavaliers at Trees Pool. The meet was a back-and-forth affair with the outcome being decided in the final event, the 400 free relay. Pittsburgh did take first in event (3:03.12), but Virginia's 2-4 finish was enough to seal its victory.
Sophomore Mike Grube (Drexel Hill, Pa./Upper Darby) had an excellent meet, taking part in three wins. His first victory was in the 50 free with a time of 20.83. The Panthers were solid in the event as Miah Heath (Estes Park, Colo./Estes Park) was third (21.34) and Mike Demos (McKeesport, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) was fourth (21.39). Grube and Heath delivered a 1-2 finish in the 100 free. Grube went under 46 seconds for the second consecutive meet to win (45.70), while Heath posted a time of 45.89. Grube, as the lead off, and Heath, as the anchor, teamed up for a third win in the 400 free relay.
Like Grube, Steve Siler (Chicago, Ill./Westmont) had an outstanding performance. The junior won the 200 back with a time of 1:47.74, his fastest in-season swim and an NCAA b-cut time. Siler was additionally the lead off on the winning 400 medley relay, which posted a time of 3:26.46.
Max von Bodungen (Malmo, Sweden/Borgarskolan) won the 200 free with a time of 1:39.55. It was the second time in as many meets he has gone under 1:40 in the event.
The Panthers swept the diving competition. Michael Wells (Downington, Pa./Downington) won on the 3-meter board (270.08), while Blair Beal (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills) won on the 1-meter board (266.03). Beal also placed second (242.85) on the 3-meter board.
