Flames Prove Too Much For Young Panthers

Menninga, Ward, Kelly all record wins

MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee men's swimming & diving team came up just short to conference rival UIC Friday, 178-121 from the Klotsche Center.

UWM won four events on the day and had a number of close finishes but came up just short in the final score.

"As I told the guys, these are meets that we lost by much bigger margins last year," Milwaukee head coach Kyle Clements said. "We're a better team right now than we were at this point last year and the best is yet to come with the men's team.

"We've got a lot of newcomers. It's a long season and they're tired right now. I feel a little for them because that fatigue is really setting in, but this is a group that, when they can get their rest, you're going to see a lot of improvements.

"It's a process with the young group we have, but we're making progress."

Milwaukee came out of the gates strong, winning the opening 200 free medley relay. Kyle Gerum, Tim Greci, Anthony Kolbus and Nick Menninga teamed up to take first in 1:35.08, just edging out UIC's top team by less than half a second.

Patrick Kelley notched Milwaukee's first individual win on the day. The freshman cruised to a big win in the 200 fly, touching the wall in 1:53.65 – over two seconds ahead of the next finisher.

N. Menninga followed that up with another Panther win. The senior took down the talented field in the 50 free with a winning time of 21.18.

Max Ward later completed the UWM sweep in the butterfly events with a win in the 100 fly. The senior just edged out UIC's top swimmer with a time of 51.23 – less than a full tenth of a second ahead for the win.

Milwaukee loaded up the podium in the 100 back. Gerum led the way with a time of 53.13 for second, with Mathew Jansen (53.34) third, Sam Salganik (54.73) fourth and Solomon Geinosky (54.88) fifth.

A pair of talented freshman took second and third in both breaststroke events on the day. Justin Ogle just missed the win in the 100 breast in 1:00.02, with Tim Greci right behind at 1:00.28 for third, with the duo duplicating those placings in the 200 breast later in the meet.

Kelley also finished with two runner-up showings on the day, taking second in both the 200 back (1:54.99) and the 200 IM (1:56.56).

In diving, freshman Dakota Skenandore led the way for Milwaukee on both boards, taking second on one-meter (264.37) and third on three-meter (248.40).

Milwaukee closed out the afternoon with a narrow second-place finish in the 400 free relay. Jacob Fase, Andrew Kasper, Salganik and N. Menninga combined for a time of 3:09.22 for second on the day.

The Panthers are now off until their taper meet Dec. 1-3 in Oxford, Ohio hosted by Miami (Ohio).

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Players Mentioned

Kyle Gerum: 6' 3"; Junior; Backstroke/Free

Mathew Jansen: 5' 10"; Sophomore; Backstroke

Anthony Kolbus: 5' 8"; Sophomore; Butterfly/IM

Nick Menninga: 6' 4"; Senior; Sprints

Max Ward: 5' 10"; Senior; Butterfly

Jacob Fase: 6' 4"; Freshman; Mid-Distance

Solomon Geinosky: 5' 3"; Freshman; Backstroke

Tim Greci: 5' 9"; Freshman; Breaststroke

Andrew Kasper: 6' 0"; Sophomore; Mid-Distance

Justin Ogle: 5' 9"; Freshman; Breaststroke

Players Mentioned

Kyle Gerum
: 6' 3"; Junior; Backstroke/Free

Mathew Jansen
: 5' 10"; Sophomore; Backstroke

Anthony Kolbus
: 5' 8"; Sophomore; Butterfly/IM

Nick Menninga
: 6' 4"; Senior; Sprints

Max Ward
: 5' 10"; Senior; Butterfly

Jacob Fase
: 6' 4"; Freshman; Mid-Distance

Solomon Geinosky
: 5' 3"; Freshman; Backstroke

Tim Greci
: 5' 9"; Freshman; Breaststroke

Andrew Kasper
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; Mid-Distance

Justin Ogle
: 5' 9"; Freshman; Breaststroke