Dallas, PA (11/30/10) – The Montclair State men's team won its second straight meet while the women's squad came within a few seconds of extending its winning streak as the Red Hawks split a dual meet with Misericordia University on Tuesday evening.

Senior GALINA LOUTCHOUK (Richboro, PA / Council Rock) was a triple-winner for the women, however a final push by the Cougars in the final event ended Montclair's winning streak, 100-95 as the Red Hawks fell back to the .500 mark at 3-3. Meanwhile the men's squad won for the fourth time in its last five dual meets with a 109-96 victory. MSU is now 4-3 on the year.

Loutchouk won both long distance freestyle events as she captured the 1000 freestyle with a time of 11:48.87 before adding a second victory in the 200 butterfly (2:19.55). She would cap off her evening as she won the 500 freestyle by nearly 12 seconds as she registered a time of 5:35.61. JACKY MOE (Rutherford, NJ / Rutherford) was second in the event at 5:47.28.

Sophomore ASHLEY VALLONE (Park Ridge, NJ / Park Ridge) was a winner in the 50 freestyle (25.63) while KELLY ABNER (Glenwood, NJ / Vernon) finished first in the 200 individual medley (2:20.49). Kelise Donahue (Egg Harbor, NJ / Egg Harbor Township) led a 1-2 finish in the 200 backstroke as she edged Abner (2:21.43) in the event with a time of 2:16.64.

But despite its individual success in the meet, the result was decided in the 400 freestyle relay. Needing just a second-place finish in the event, Montclair fell short as Misericordia took the first and second-place positions to capture the meet.

For the men, sophomore MICHAEL SMITH (Cherry Hill, NJ / Cherry Hill East) won three events as he andJOSEPH BERRY (Edison, NJ / Edison) finished 1-2 in the three separate events. Like Loutchouk, Smith won both long distance events taking the 1000 freestyle with a time of 11:03.67 edging out Berry, who swam 11:04.81. He would out-touch Berry in the 500 freestyle with times of 4:56.87 and 5:04.37, respectively and led a 1-2-3 Red Hawk finish in the 200 freestyle. Smith posted a time of 1:48.49 with Berry coming in second at 1:51.52. ZAK WESTERBERG (Hamilton, NJ / Hamilton North) finished third at 1:53.93.

Freshman NICK RUSSO (Matawan, NJ / Old Bridge) collected a victory in the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:12.41, edging out Connor Pollitt (New Brunswick, NJ / Bishop Ahr) who was second at 2:12.58. Senior BLAISE LACCA (Sewell, NJ / Washington Township) won the 100 freestyle with a time of 49.95.

The Red Hawks are now off until Monday, December 6 when they take on Division I Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ beginning at 5:00 pm.