Buck's Record Highlights Pirate Sweep of Pacific

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Rory Buck shattered his own Whitworth Aquatic Center record and automatically qualified for the 2012 NCAA Division III Championships in the 200-yard breaststroke to lead the Pirates to a sweep of visiting Pacific in a pair of Northwest Conference dual meets on Friday night.

The Whitworth men won 150-52, while the Pirate women overcame a very improved Pacific women's team 113-92.

Buck raced to an easy win in the 200-breaststroke with a time of 2:02.14, getting under the NCAA auto qualifying mark of 2:02.55 and shattering his own pool record of 2:06.25. Buck also ran away with the 100-yard freestyle in 47.92.

The Pirate men won 9 of the 11 events, but Buck was the only one to win more than one event as the Whitworth depth ruled the day. The Pirate men won the 400 medley relay with a time of 3:33.95 and won the 400 free relay in 3:18.34.

Austin Vierra ran away with the 200 freestyle in a winning time of 1:45.93.

Kramer Ichimura won the 200 Butterfly (1:59.15) and Dylan Kramer won the 200 Backstroke (1:59.73) for Pacific.

The Whitworth women had a much tougher time with the Boxers, winning only five of the 11 events but coming out on top with superior depth.

Amanda Clark and Katherine Porter each won two individual events for Pacific. Clark won the 1,000 Free (10:54.26) and 500 Free (5:17.60), while Porter swept the 50 Free (24.48) and 100 Free (53.72). Both were on Pacific's winning 400 freestyle relay (3:38.07).

Samantha Smith was a big double winner for Whitworth, claiming the 200 I.M. in 2:14.19 and minutes later winning the 200 butterfly in 2:16.11. Nicole Lecoq won the 200 freestyle in 1:58.88 and Smith and Lecoq were both part of the winning 400 medley relay (4:04.32).

Whitworth will host Lewis & Clark on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m., while Pacific travels to swim at Whitman.