WASHINGTON - The Gallaudet University men's swimming team dropped its home opener 152-71 to Bridgewater (Va.) College on Saturday afternoon in the Field House pool. The Bison wore special pink swim caps to show support for breast cancer awareness during the meet. The Eagles (1-1) won 11 events over the Bison (0-2), who took first in three events.

Freshman Barry McGrain III (Lakeville, N.Y.) made quite the splash in his home debut as he won the 200- and 500-yard freestyle events with personal-best times of 2:09.77 and 5:55.13, respectively. He took third in the 100-yard backstroke (1:10.65).

Sophomore Ben Sealts (Ottawa, Ohio) won the 100-yard breaststroke (1:05.69) and was second in the 1,000-yard freestyle (10:57.43). Sealts just missed first place in the 100-yard butterfly (56.23) by .23 hundredths of a second as Bridgewater's Austin Bacon touched the wall in 56 seconds flat.

Sophomore Rett Jala (McAllen, Texas) was third in the 50-yard backstroke (39.26) and 100-yard IM (1:34.96). Sophomore Abe Polanco (Devine, Texas) placed third in the 100- and 200-yard freestyle events with personal-best times of 1:22.58 and 3:04.02, respectively.

Sophomore Xiangming Liu (Dandong, China) placed third in the 50- and 100-yard breaststroke events with times of 48.08 and 1:47.78, respectively.

Gallaudet's 200-yard medley relay team of McGrain III, Sealts, Jala and Polanco took second with a time of 2:12.90 to begin the meet.

BISON TRACKS

• Polanco was fourth in the 50-yard freestyle (37.67)
• Freshman Jack Britton (Fairport, N.Y.) finished fourth in the 50-yard backstroke (44.20) and 100-yard freestyle (1:23.63)
• Liu finished fourth in the 100-yard IM (1:52.39)
• Jala was fourth in the 50-yard butterfly (35.38)

GALLAUDET PERSONAL RECORDS

* = Time recorded in relay

UP NEXT
Gallaudet is off the next two weeks before the Bison dive back in the pool at the Cazenovia Invitational at Cazenovia, N.Y., on Saturday, Nov. 3, at 1 p.m.