Axemen and Axewomen finish second in team standings at Legere Meet at UNB

(FREDERICTON, NB) The second meet of the 2021-2022 Atlantic University Sport swimming season came to an end Sunday with the Dalhousie Tigers atop the team and women's and men's standings. 

The Tigers won 10 of Sunday's events and 22 of the meet's combined 35 races. 

"We had a bunch of first year kids show up," said Tigers head coach Lance Cansdale. "Elaine Gentleman, Emilie Schofield, Alex Dalessio, Liam Ferguson, to name a few, swimming their hearts out and winning events, which is good and it's pushing our seniors." 

Schofield, from Miramichi, NB, won twice on Sunday, finishing first in the women's 100-metre backstroke and the 200-metre individual medley. 

Among Acadia's Sunday winners, Kali Lancaster in the women's 200-metre breaststroke and Dean Sangster in the men's 100-metre backstroke. 

"I think we're all just happy to be here and be able to race," said Acadia's Kassidy Hamilton, a Fredericton native who logged a third-place finish in Sunday's women's 50-metre butterfly. "This is the first time we've gotten to travel, since we hosted the first meet, so for me and the rookies on the team it was the first opportunity we've had to get out and race somewhere other than home." 

The host UNB REDS broke the Dal-Acadia strangehold on victories when Sydney Bewsher raced to victory in Sunday's first event, the women's 200-metre butterfly. 

"I wasn't expecting that today," said Bewsher. "I didn't really go into the race with any expectations. I didn't create any extra pressure on myself. It's one of my best races, so I wanted to have fun and have a solid swim." 

Bewsher beat Dal's Lauren Mosher by almost two-and-a-half seconds. 

"I'm, obviously, very excited about it, especially in the first 200-fly this season and to be able to do that at home is really special and having my whole team behind me is awesome," she said. 

Sebastian Cariaga gave the Mount Allison Mounties their only win of the weekend, taking the men's 50-metre backstroke. Cariaga beat Acadia's Aaron Day by just 3/100ths of a second. 

The AUS swimming teams now take a bit of a break. 

They dive back into action on November 26th, 27th and 28th, at the Kemp-Fry Invitational, at Dalhousie University, in Halifax. 

RECAP AND PHOTOS: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics