Travis Kriens Sportswriter

The SDSU men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams dropped their first home dual of the season Friday, Nov. 5 to Wisconsin-Green Bay at the HPER Center Pool. The women lost 135-108, while the men lost a heartbreaker 122.5-120.5.

A total of three school records were set with two coming on the men’s side. The 400 medley relay of Phil Albu, Shea Patrick, Chris Schreier and John Bisson finished in a record-setting time of 3:29.89 that was also a pool record.

The freshman Schreier was not done as he went on to break his 18-day-old SDSU 200 butterfly record in a winning time of 1:51.96, also a pool record. The Indiana native now has eight wins in his first three collegiate meets.

“He’s got great technique and a real good work ethic in practice,” said head coach Brad Erickson. “Those are the things that will get the job done for you.”

Albu won the 200 backstroke in 1:56.45, while Patrick was victorious in the 200 breaststroke clocking in at 2:10.87.

Kyle Ochsner won a pair of freestyle events claiming victory in the 1000 by nearly 20 seconds with a finish of 9:50.78. He would also take the 500 free in 4:47.08.

When the final tally was totaled, it looked like the men would be triumphant as it showed they won by four points. After a miscalculation was found and the scores recounted, it showed the Jacks as a two-point loser.

“It was disappointing obviously, but we swam so well,” Erickson said. “It was incredible. It was just a fun meet to watch when it comes down to the last relay (400 freestyle). Every exchange was close and everybody put in their full effort. I told the team afterwards that our staff wasn’t any more proud, win or lose, with the way that we swam.”

When asked if he had ever heard the HPER Center Pool as loud as it was during the final relay to decide the meet, the 35-year head coach said, “I don’t know that I have. It’s probably the most exciting meet that my assistant coach Phil Hurley and I have been involved with. It was a lot of fun.”

On the women’s side, Jessica Ferley set the 100 backstroke record as a part of the winning 400 medley relay team (3:57.95) with Stephanie Young, Ashley Valdez and Alexandra Hoffman. Ferley broke Hoffman’s record, finishing her split in 58.54 seconds.

Ferley went on to win the 500 freestyle in 5:12.60. Hoffman had a pair of individual wins first coming in the 50 freestyle at 24.70 seconds, followed by a 200 backstroke finish of 2:10.34.

Freshman Andrea Budahl came about as close as you could get without breaking a school record as her winning 1000 freestyle time of 10:28.20 was only .03 seconds away from setting a new SDSU mark.

“Having two school records on the men’s side, which were also pool records and a near school record on the women’s side this early in the season is just so incredible,” Erickson said. “It’s a group of athletes that are working very hard and they are seeing some results.”

“It’s tough to swim three events hard in two-and-a-half hours. Now that this is the third meet of the season for everyone, I think that it shows they are learning how to do that.”

The women (1-3) are back in the pool this Saturday, Nov. 13 with a double dual against Northern Iowa and Northern Colorado in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The first double dual starts at 10 a.m. followed by the second at 12 p.m.

“We match up very well with both teams,” Erickson said. “It’s going to come down to the end just like tonight. There are a lot of races where they have the advantage where we are usually good and there are races where we need to step up and finish out those close ones. I won’t make any predictions, but if we swim like we did tonight we will do very well.”

The men (2-1) have the week off before returning to action at home on Saturday, Nov. 20 for a dual against in-state rival South Dakota.

#1.1766772:1547291212.jpg:Swimming Ryan Robinson 11.jpg:The SDSU men?s and women?s swimming and diving teams fell last weekend to Wisconsin-Green Bay. The Jacks return home to the HPER Center Pool on Nov. 20.:Collegian Photo