Friday, November 22
3:00:00 PM
Lehigh University
vs
Lafayette
Lehigh meets Lafayette in annual rivalry clash Friday at Jacobs Pool
11/21/2013 2:44:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving, Women's Swimming and Diving
The Rivalry: Lehigh vs. Lafayette
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh men's and women's swimming and diving teams will host Lafayette on Friday night in one of the highlights of Lehigh-Lafayette rivalry week, which culminates in Saturday's football game at Goodman stadium. Diving will begin at 3 p.m. with the swimming slated to start at 6 p.m. at Jacobs Pool.
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"At Lehigh, any Lehigh-Lafayette competition is very important," said head coach Rob Herb. "Everyone is ultra-competitive within the rivalry. If we end a season with a 1-10 or 1-500 record and that one win is against Lafayette, we've had a good season."
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The team has enjoyed much success against Lafayette, especially under Herb who is in his tenth season. The Mountain Hawks look for their sixth consecutive sweep of their rival from Easton, with last year's victories coming on the road. The men beat the Leopards 172-126 to mark their 22nd straight win against the Leopards, while the women won 169-125 for the fifth time in a row. The men's squad remains the only program at Lehigh to never lose to Lafayette in the Patriot League era.
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"It's the biggest dual meet of the season," said junior Eric Sherwood, a distance freestyle who had a breakout performance at the Patriot League Championship meet last season. "It seems like most of the year is spent focusing on this meet and doing whatever we can to beat those guys."
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The Lehigh men come into the meet with a 3-2 record, including a 1-0 mark in the Patriot League. The women have gotten off to their best start in over a decade as they look to improve upon a perfect 4-0 record heading into Friday's meet.
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"It's special, being part of the Lehigh-Lafayette weekend," said junior Mary Caitlin Samuels. "We want to start the weekend off right and get a win for the school."
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Both teams are coming off strong showings in the un-scored Princeton Invitational this past weekend. On the men's side, freshman Jacob Moyar paced the Mountain Hawks, finishing in the top five in all four of his individual events, including a personal best in the 1650 freestyle. For the women, Courtney Patterson led the way, taking second in both the 500 free and 400 individual medley. Kaitlynn Ruffing improved upon a hot start to her freshman campaign as she swam to second place finishes in both the 50 and 100 freestyle events.
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The Mountain Hawks have swam historically well against Lafayette at Jacobs Pool. The most recent visit to Bethlehem by the Leopards came in 2011. The Lehigh men put a drubbing on Lafayette, swimming to a 223-77 win while taking first in 14-of-16 events. The women added nine wins in 16 events and won the meet 169-131.
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"We're a lot closer to our student population here so we get a lot more people walking in…friends, family, alumni," said Herb. "Everyone knows how much we put into this competition and when it's here, this place gets filled up with our fans."
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"It's a great atmosphere," added senior Chris Hoke, a sprinter and school-record holder who was named first team All-Patriot League Team last season. "It's great to have all of the alumni back and have everyone in our corner. "
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Friday's meet will also be contested in honor of former Lafayette swim coach Bill Lawson who died in a car crash earlier this year. Lawson enjoyed a great deal of success in his 37-year career at Lafayette, coaching three different sports including lacrosse where he remains the winningest men's coach in the school's history.
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Herb noted that former Lehigh head swim coach Bruce Gardiner was given the job at Lehigh because of Lawson. After coaching the team for 17 years, Gardiner took a job in Lehigh University Admissions and during his 22 years there, was responsible for the admittance of every student-athlete to be part of a Patriot League Championship team.
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"Lehigh swimming wouldn't be what it is today without Bill Lawson," said Herb.
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Following Friday's meet, senior Chris Hoke and sophomore Carolyn Koch will travel to Knoxville, Tenn., to swim at the U.S. National Meet. The Mountain Hawks then have a month off from competition before traveling to West Point, N.Y., on January 10 to take on Army.Â
Story by Connor Cackovic '14
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh men's and women's swimming and diving teams will host Lafayette on Friday night in one of the highlights of Lehigh-Lafayette rivalry week, which culminates in Saturday's football game at Goodman stadium. Diving will begin at 3 p.m. with the swimming slated to start at 6 p.m. at Jacobs Pool.
Â
"At Lehigh, any Lehigh-Lafayette competition is very important," said head coach Rob Herb. "Everyone is ultra-competitive within the rivalry. If we end a season with a 1-10 or 1-500 record and that one win is against Lafayette, we've had a good season."
Â
The team has enjoyed much success against Lafayette, especially under Herb who is in his tenth season. The Mountain Hawks look for their sixth consecutive sweep of their rival from Easton, with last year's victories coming on the road. The men beat the Leopards 172-126 to mark their 22nd straight win against the Leopards, while the women won 169-125 for the fifth time in a row. The men's squad remains the only program at Lehigh to never lose to Lafayette in the Patriot League era.
Â
"It's the biggest dual meet of the season," said junior Eric Sherwood, a distance freestyle who had a breakout performance at the Patriot League Championship meet last season. "It seems like most of the year is spent focusing on this meet and doing whatever we can to beat those guys."
Â
The Lehigh men come into the meet with a 3-2 record, including a 1-0 mark in the Patriot League. The women have gotten off to their best start in over a decade as they look to improve upon a perfect 4-0 record heading into Friday's meet.
Â
"It's special, being part of the Lehigh-Lafayette weekend," said junior Mary Caitlin Samuels. "We want to start the weekend off right and get a win for the school."
Â
Both teams are coming off strong showings in the un-scored Princeton Invitational this past weekend. On the men's side, freshman Jacob Moyar paced the Mountain Hawks, finishing in the top five in all four of his individual events, including a personal best in the 1650 freestyle. For the women, Courtney Patterson led the way, taking second in both the 500 free and 400 individual medley. Kaitlynn Ruffing improved upon a hot start to her freshman campaign as she swam to second place finishes in both the 50 and 100 freestyle events.
Â
The Mountain Hawks have swam historically well against Lafayette at Jacobs Pool. The most recent visit to Bethlehem by the Leopards came in 2011. The Lehigh men put a drubbing on Lafayette, swimming to a 223-77 win while taking first in 14-of-16 events. The women added nine wins in 16 events and won the meet 169-131.
Â
"We're a lot closer to our student population here so we get a lot more people walking in…friends, family, alumni," said Herb. "Everyone knows how much we put into this competition and when it's here, this place gets filled up with our fans."
Â
"It's a great atmosphere," added senior Chris Hoke, a sprinter and school-record holder who was named first team All-Patriot League Team last season. "It's great to have all of the alumni back and have everyone in our corner. "
Â
Friday's meet will also be contested in honor of former Lafayette swim coach Bill Lawson who died in a car crash earlier this year. Lawson enjoyed a great deal of success in his 37-year career at Lafayette, coaching three different sports including lacrosse where he remains the winningest men's coach in the school's history.
Â
Herb noted that former Lehigh head swim coach Bruce Gardiner was given the job at Lehigh because of Lawson. After coaching the team for 17 years, Gardiner took a job in Lehigh University Admissions and during his 22 years there, was responsible for the admittance of every student-athlete to be part of a Patriot League Championship team.
Â
"Lehigh swimming wouldn't be what it is today without Bill Lawson," said Herb.
Â
Following Friday's meet, senior Chris Hoke and sophomore Carolyn Koch will travel to Knoxville, Tenn., to swim at the U.S. National Meet. The Mountain Hawks then have a month off from competition before traveling to West Point, N.Y., on January 10 to take on Army.Â
Story by Connor Cackovic '14
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