Wingate Swimming outlasts Washington & Lee 139-123

Lexington, Va.----Wingate University freshman Tim Kniffler (Mulheim, Germany) participated in three victories as the number 10 Bulldogs defeated Washington & Lee University 139-123 Saturday at the Cy Twombly Pool on the W&L campus. The Bulldogs picked up five individual victories and one relay victory to take the dual meet against the NCAA Division III powers.

Kniffler swam the first leg of Wingate’s victorious 200 Freestyle Relay (1:27.64). He was joined by junior Lee Sousa (Cornelius, N.C.), freshman Reed Miller (Mobile, Ala.) and senior Dwight Richardson (Newport News, Va.). Earlier in the day, Kniffler won the 100 Backstroke (53.36) and the 200 Backstroke (1:56.36).

Bulldog sophomore Cole Dutton (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) matched Kniffler with two individual victories. Dutton touched first in the 1000 Freestyle (9:58.34) and the 500 Freestyle (4:50.66). Wingate senior Marcello Machado (Recife, Brazil) had a big day, with one win and two second-place finishes. Machado touched first in the 200 Individual Medley (1:59.70) and finished second in the 100 Breaststroke (1:01.98) and 200 Breaststroke (2:14.71).

Wingate freshman Marko Blazevski (Skopje, Macedonia) earned three silver medals. He placed second to Machado in the 200 Individual Medley (1:59.79). In addition, Blazevski was second in the 200 Freestyle (1:47.79) and the 200 Butterfly (1:56.82). Blazevski represented his home country of Macedonia in the inaugural Youth Olympic Games this past summer.

In the no-rest-for-the-weary department, Wingate will host the Fall Frenzy Invitational Saturday and Sunday (Nov. 20-21) at the Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center.