Fordham Swimming and Diving returned to action on Saturday against the La Salle Explorers in their first meet since Nov. 21. The women’s team was able to come out on top, improving their record to 5-0 on the season. The men’s team came up just short, falling to 2-3 on the year. 

Starting on the women’s side, where graduate student Becky Kamau and freshman Leire Martin led the Rams with two individual event wins each. Kamau won the 100 and 200 breaststroke with times of 1:05.39 and 2:20.60, respectively. Martin triumphed in the backstroke events, winning the 100 with a time of 59.10 and the 200 with a time of 2:04.17. 

In total, Fordham won 12 events on the women’s side. Freshman Emilie Krog claimed the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:07.50, while graduate student Vaula Vekkeli won the 100 freestyle with her time of 53.81. The Rams were also winners in the 100 butterfly and the 50 freestyle, with freshman Jessica Zebrowski taking home first in the former with a time of 58.19 and freshman Madeline Bergin winning the latter with a time of 24.83.

The final individual event winners for the Rams were freshman Ainhoa Martin, who took home the 200 IM crown with a time of 2:05.31 and senior Natalie Ortof, who was victorious in the 1M dive with a score of 274.20.

The Rams’ success also carried over to the relay events, where Kamau and Martin combined with Zebrowski and Bergin to win the 200 medley relay, finishing in 1:48.46. Zebrowski and Bergin were also winners of the 400 freestyle relay with Vekkeli and freshman Zoei Howard, finishing with a time of 3:35.39

On the men’s side, freshman Alexander Shah won the 50 freestyle at 21.83. Senior Spencer Clark was victorious in the 100 freestyle with a time of 47.03, and sophomore Alex Wilhelm finished top of the podium in the 200 backstroke at 1:54.24. Freshman Daniel Langlois also had a win to his name, finishing first in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:09.83.

Fordham won five total events in the men’s competition, with the final victory coming in the 400 freestyle relay. Clarke, Shah, freshman Vitalis Onu and junior Nicholas Chao combined for the win at 3:09.87. 

Entering the second half of the season, the Rams have three more meets until the Atlantic 10 Championship begins on Feb. 16. Next, Fordham will travel to Iona on Wednesday, Jan. 26 to take on the Gaels.