Colton Bridge
Colton Bridge

Sylvia Helps Power Bentley Past Brandeis; Bridge Qualifies for NCAAs in Diving

WALTHAM, Mass. – Senior Steve Sylvia (Westerly, R.I./Westerly HS) won two individual events and participated on the Falcons' winning 400 yard medley relay, and sophomore Colton Bridge (Tolland, Conn./Tolland HS) qualified for the NCAA Division II Championships in the one-meter diving, as Bentley University rolled to a 152-83 win over Brandeis University in men's college swimming Friday night at the Dana Center pool.

Sylvia anchored the meet-opening 400 medley which finished in 3:47.26, the fastest for the Falcons thus far this season. Junior Josh Witty (Los Gatos, Calif./Los Gatos HS) led off and was followed into the pool by senior Phillip Chan (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier HS) and freshman Gregory Coleman (Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Sachem North HS).

Sylvia posted a team season-best 22.51 seconds while winning the 50 freestyle and also captured the 100 free in 50.06.

Bridge had the best score in both one-meter diving events with his combined count of 446.25 exceeding the qualifying standard for the nationals.

Bentley's other double-winner was sophomore Alex Liulakis (Tenafly, N.J./Tenafly HS) as he posted winning efforts in the 200 butterfly (a team season-best 2:04.46) and the 100 individual medley (57.58.

The other individual winners for the 3-2 Falcons were freshman Davis Wilson (Ransom Canyon, Texas/Lubbock HS) in the 200 free (1:48.38), sophomore Tim Connolly (Dorchester/Boston Latin Academy) in the 100 backstroke (56.86), senior Peter Belanger (Andover/Andover HS) in the 100 breaststroke (1:04.92), Witty in the 200 backstroke (2:04.66) and freshman Dennis Witol (Bowie, Md./ Eleanor Roosevelt HS) in the 200 breast (224.40).

Bentley will be back in the same pool Saturday afternoon for a 1 pm meet against Norwich University.