WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – In the first of this year's two scheduled meetings, the Eastern Connecticut State University and Keene State College swim programs split a dual meet Saturday in the return to action for both schools following a layoff from competition of over a month.
 

The Eastern men (3-1) captured nine of 12 individual events and both relays in routing Keene State (1-3), 178-83, while the Eastern women (5-1) lost their first dual meet of the season despite claiming seven individual firsts and one of two relays in a competitive 144-118 setback to the Keene women (2-2).
 
The squads will square off again in a little over a month when the stakes are much higher at the Little East Conference Championships Feb. 13-16 at the Boston Sports Institute at Wellesley, MA. As least year's championship, the Eastern women unseated the 16-time defending champion Owls by winning their first title. The Eastern men trimmed Keene State by two points in a second-place finish at last year's LEC meet, finishing second to champion Bridgewater State University.
 
Led by double winners Max Metlitski (Avon) and Nico Iannucci (Parsippany, NJ) 19 of 21 roster athletes contributed points for the men's team, which dominated the freestyle events by going 1-2-3 in the 100 and 1-2 in the 50, 500 and 400 relay. The Warriors also dominated with a 1-2-3 finish in the 100 breaststroke and a 1-2 placement in the 200 breaststroke and 400 medley relay.
 
A sophomore, Iannucci won the 100 (1:02.72) and 200 (2:23.73) breaststroke. In his first season, Metlitski captured the 100 (58.75) and 200 (2:12.76) backstroke events.
 
Metlitski and Iannucci each totalled 18 points and contributed to two scoring relays to lead the men. Adding 13 points each with first and second-place finishes in their two individual events were first-year sophomore transfers Boden Tito (Southington) and Eric Quiterio (Windsor) and senior Connor Rego (Winsted).
 
While Eastern's depth sunk Keene State in the men's competition, Keene's depth torpedoed the Eastern women. The Owls claimed the top three finishes in the 200 breaststroke and 500 freestyle and went 2-3-4 in the 100 backstroke, 100 breaststroke and 200 IM. For their part, the Eastern women went 1-2 in the 200 butterfly an 2-3 in the 400 freestyle relay.
 

The Eastern women won seven individual events as well as the 400 medley relay. Senior Allison Ronan (Northbridge, MA) and sophomore Cassandra Wentzell (Wallingford) were double winners and shared the team lead by collecting 18 points each on the strength of those first-place finishes. Ronan claimed the 200 butterfly (2:31.11) and 200 IM (2:27.91) and Wentzell the 100 (1:05.22) and 200 (2:25.01) backstroke.
 
Adding double-digit points to the women's total were junior Natasha Frisch (Mendota Heights, MN), sophomore Camille Attle (Bristol) and first-year swimmer Sadie Tscheppe (Watertown). Attle and Frisch both added 13 points and Tscheppe 11. Attle won the 100 butterfly (1:04.21) and was second in the 200 butterfly (2:33.40) while Frisch was the 100 breaststroke (1:11.64) champion, placed third in the 50 freestyle (27.19) and fifth in the 200 IM (2:27.91) and Tscheppe was the 50 free champion (26.50) and was fourth in the 100 freestyle (1:01.33).
 
The Eastern men and women both won the same event six times: the 100 and 200 backstroke, 100 breaststroke, 100 and 200 butterfly and 50 freestyle.
 
The Warriors host Bridgewater State University and Rhode Island College Wednesday at 1 p.m., and entertain the University of Saint Joseph Jan. 25 on Senior Day before closing out the regular season Feb. 1 at Smith College.