FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason swimming and diving teams swept Delaware in the first home meet of the season on Saturday at the Jim McKay Natatorium.  Mason's women's team defeated the Blue Hens 167-127, while the men's team recorded a 184-114 victory.

On the men's side, the Patriots earned six individual event wins and claimed both relays.  Junior Steven Craig finished first in the 1000-yard freestyle (9:33.20) as Mason took three of the top four spots in the race.  Junior Matthew Lynch was first in both the 100-yard (50.92) and 200-yard butterfly (1:55.05).

“They came out strong and the men's team going one-two in the medley relay set the tone for the day,” Mason head coach Peter Ward said.  “They never let Delaware get back in the meet and it was a really good performance for them.  It was a team effort and that's obviously what it takes to win.”

In the 100-yard freestyle, junior Alec Morin swam to a first-place finish (46.32).  Freshmen Attila Kiss touched the wall just ahead of Craig to finish first in the 500-yard freestyle (4:38.05).  It's the second straight week that Kiss has won the event.  Freshman Ryan Donnelly contributed a first place finish in the 200-yard backstroke (1:53.11).

Senior Zepher Begnell, who was second in the 50-yard freestyle last weekend against Navy and UMBC, won the event for Mason on Saturday (20.99).

“I had a couple of mistakes during the race itself, but overall it went a lot better than I thought it was going to,” said Begnell.  “The win's today for both teams will give the team confidence, especially the freshmen.  I think we can build on this momentum and perform next weekend too.”

Begnell was one of five different Mason swimmers on the men's team to win an event.

The Patriots started strong, with the combination of freshman Logan Eubanks and classmate Christopher Stankiewicz, along with Begnell and Morin, taking first place in the 200-yard medley relay (1:33.58).  In the last event of the day, senior Evan Owens along with Begnell, Morin and Stankiewicz swam to a first place finish in the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:24.39).

The Patriots claimed the top two spots in both the one-meter and three-meter springboard diving events.  Senior Paul Helfgott won both events, with freshman Joe Amato placing second. 

“Everyone went into the meet with a really good mindset and it was a blast,” Helfgott said.  “There were a lot of things I worked on, my takeoffs and hurdles, making sure that they're consistent.  Today I came out and made sure that I could do them and the whole team did a great job.”

Helfgott's score of 281.33 on the one-meter gave him the win by 72 points, while he recorded a 79-point victory on the three-meter with his winning score of 298.35.

“Our divers stepping up,” Ward said.  “Paul winning both boards and going one-two made a big difference for us.”

Last season, the Blue Hens men's team earned a 157-137 win, while Delaware's women's team picked up a 186-109 victory over the Patriots at Rawstrom Natatorium in Newark, Del.

The Mason women's team opened the meet by winning the 200-yard medley relay.  Seniors Sydney Fisher and Steff Maurer, junior Amy Tansill and sophomore Marla Albanese finished with a time of 1:46.00.

Maurer won the 200-yard freestyle (1:55.22) and Tansill finished first in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:05.71). 

Fisher swam to victories in the 50-yard freestyle (23.40) and 100-yard butterfly (55:26) and was part of two relay wins.

“Coming off of tough meet against Navy and UMBC, everyone on the team improved and gave it everything they had,” Fisher said.  “Overall it was a very good day.  Delaware has been a team in the past that we've had difficulty competing against, so it was really nice today that we were able to win individual races and both relays.” 

Junior Rachel Williams tallied a win in the 100-yard freestyle (53.94).  Other senior's to record a win in the meet were Erin Schulte, who placed first in both the 500-yard (5:11.38) and 1000-yard freestyle (10:43.32) and Sarah Brallier, who notched a first place finish in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:21.25).

Junior Dorothy Reilly posted a win in the 100-yard backstroke (59.69) as the Mason women's team won nine individual events. 

“I didn't really see the win in the 100-yard backstroke coming, but it was great to be part of a pivotal moment in the meet,” Reilly said.  “Sets throughout the week prepared me for this meet and my butterfly has been feeling really good in practice as well as my backstroke.”

Mason divers finished second and third in both events.  Sophomore Melanie Howard-Hutton finished second in the one-meter dive with a score of 136.50, edging classmate Lydia Alexander, who placed third with a score of 134.78.  Alexander claimed second place in the three-meter dive with a score of 150.00, with Howard-Hutton taking third with a score of 144.68.

Overall, the Patriots won 15 individual events, all four relays and both diving events against the Blue Hens. 

The Patriots are back in action Oct. 21-22 when they swim at the Richmond Duals.