WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Linfield and Whitman split a Northwest Conference dual meet Friday night at the Sherwood Center swimming pool.

The Wildcat men notched a 112-93 victory over the Blues. The Whitman women turned away the Linfield ladies by a 109.5 to 94.5 count.
 
Linfield's women won both relay events. Kirsti Keppo captured three individual races to pace the Wildcat women while Kai Laitenen prevailed in two individual men's events.
 
WOMEN
Keppo recorded a nearly 15-second win in the 1,650-yard freestyle, clocking 19:25.72. The Linfield junior later returned to take top honors in the 400 individual medley by nearly three seconds (4:46.87) and blazed to six-second triumph in the 500 freestyle in 5:24.81.
 
In other events, Sarah Arpag prevailed by nearly four seconds in the 100 butterfly (1:00.62).
 
Linfield opened the meet with a half-second victory in the 200-yard medley relay. The foursome of Avery Campbell, Sarah Arpag, Alana Zumbrum and Lauren Bobo-Shisler topped the Whitman quartet 1:54.30 to 1:54.88.
 
The 200 freestyle relay, featuring the same four challengers, carved out a tight victory over the Whitman squad, winning 1:42.18 to 1:42.30.
 
MEN
Laitinen fought off a strong challenge by teammate Gavin Smith to take top honors in the 1,650 freestyle. Laitinen's time of 17:31.82 was almost five seconds faster than Smith's finishing time of 17:35.76.
 
Rocco Velie won the 200 freestyle in 1:45.51 and was second in the 100 freestyle in 48.86. Jack Gallo was a split-second winner in the 500 freestyle, nipping Laitinen 4:56.29 to 4:45.48 for the top stop.
 
In other events, Sam Postlewait was a clear-cut winner in the 100 backstroke, winning by an almost three second margin and Ivan Tontchev won the 100 breaststroke by nearly a full second, topping Whitman's John Leeds 1:00.83 to 1:01.77.
 
Postlewait, Tontchev, Levi Buker and Carson Washburn teamed for a four-second victory in the 200 medley relay in 1:39.07.
 
NEXT
The Wildcats head north to Spokane to compete for a Saturday matinee meet against the always powerful Whitworth Pirates. Meet time is set for 1 p.m. at the Whitworth pool.