Pirates rule the pool at OEC Invite
COSTA MESA -- There were plenty of impressive performances to go around for the Orange Coast College men's swim team on Friday at the first (of two) Orange Empire Conference Invitational meets, hosted by OCC.
The Pirates were led by the strong swimming of standout Tatsuki Inoue and Ethan Smith, who each picked up two first-place individual performances and helped the Pirates win two relay events as well.
Inoue touched the wall first in the 100-yard backstroke, lead a 1-2-3-4 Pirate finish with a time of 53.99, ahead of teammates Alexis Stagni (54.62), Keita Inoue (55.02) and Javier Rodriguez (58.22).
It was more of the same in the 200 back as another 1-2-3-4 OCC finish highlighted the event. Tatsuki Inoue again led the way (1:54.94), followed by Keita Inoue (2:04.99), Rodriguez (2:08.52) and Stagni (2:08.98).
It was a 1-2 finish in the 200 freestyle with Smith leading the way with a time of 1:43.11, followed closely by Pirate teammate Andrew Leong (1:43.89). Smith also took first overall in the 200 fly with a time of 1:51.73.
In the 200 individual medley, it was all-around swimmer, Matthew Simpson, who touched the wall first with a winning time of 1:58.59.
In the always-fast 100 free, Dane Howell showed he had the fastest time on Friday with a 49.29.
Coast also took the top spot in the 200 free relay (T. Inoue, Leone, Howell, Smith, 1:26.88) as well as the 200 medley relay (T. Inoue, Leong, Smith, Howell, 1:34.55).
The Pirates will return to the pool on Friday at the Riverside City College Invitational, beginning at 10 a.m.
