MEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING

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PITTSBURGH, PA - The University at Buffalo's men's swimming and diving team jumped out to a strong start after Friday's events at the ECAC Championships at Trees Pool at the University of Pittsburgh. The Bulls stand fifth among 26 teams with 94 points. Maryland-Baltimore County leads the three-day meet with 187 points, followed by Seton Hall (155), Marist (148), Towson (96) and UB (94).

Patrick Lee

Freshman diver Patrick Lee (North Tonawanda, NY/North Tonawanda) scored a second-place finish in the three-meter competition with 461.75 points. Junior Jim Taravella (Hamburg, NY/Orchard Park) also reached the championship podium finishing in seventh place with 365.10 points to give the Bulls 29 team points in the event.

Jon Yarger

Also scoring individual points for the Bulls were a pair of distance freestylers as sophomores Jon Yarger (Centre Hill, PA/Penns Valley) and Mark Sy (Scarborough, Ontario/Mary Ward) reached the finals of the 500 freestyle. Yarger placed sixth in a lifetime-best time of 4:39.42 while Sy finished in seventh in 4:41.91 to give the Bulls 25 team points in the event.

Sophomore sprint specialist Aviv Oren (Rishon Le-Zion, Israel/Makif A') also scored points for the Bulls with his 13th-place finish in the 50 freestyle in a season-best 21.80.

Both of UB's relay squads also reached the finals with the 400 medley relay team scoring 24 points in the championship race and the 200 free relay team making the consolation finals and giving UB 12 points. The 400 medley team of Kurt Bessel (Mexico, NY/Mexico Academy), Oren, Sy and Jeff Hurst (Rochester, NY/Greece-Athena) touched the wall in a season-best 3:30.65 to take seventh place. The 200 free relay team also scored a season-best as Dave Richards (Baldwinsville, NY/C.W. Baker), Alan Lowe (Brownsville, TX/Hanna), Hurst and Oren finished in 1:26.72, good for 11th place.

Competition continues Saturday and Sunday.