Competing at the Aquatic Center for the last time, the three seniors on the Ohio men's swimming and diving team contributed five of the team's nine victories as the Bobcats defeated Buffalo 146-90 last night.

Although the Bulls took an early lead by winning three of the first four events, the Bobcats proved too strong down the stretch. Ohio swimmers were first in eight of the last nine events. The meet victory brought the team's final record to 4-6 overall and 2-3 in the Mid-American Conference.

Doug Grebe's win in the 200 individual medley, which he swam in 1:55.92, helped turn it around for Ohio in the fifth event. Grebe also won the 500 free in 4:42.67 and was second to fellow senior Justin Dammel in the 200 breaststroke. Dammel's time in the event was 2:11.71. Grebe was right behind him in 2:13.35

Kacy Culver won both diving events, scoring a 302.40 on the three-meter and a 308.63 on the one-meter.

Culver wasn't aiming to win both events in his final appearance in the Aquatic Center, but he considered his victories a bonus.

"It wasn't my goal to win, I just wanted to go out and perform the best that I could." Culver said. "I knew it was going to be my last meet, and my parents and my girlfriend were going to be there. I performed above average, which was exceptional for this time of year."

Ohio swimming and diving coach Greg Werner was especially proud of the seniors and their victories in the meet.

"Even though it wasn't officially our senior weekend, this was our last home meet, so we paid tribute to them both before and after the meet in our meetings," Werner said. "It was a fitting way for our seniors, who have shown so much support and consistency for our program, to finish up with wins."

Other Ohio winners included Nick Melillo, who was first in the 1000 free, finishing in 9:37.56, Doug Hamm, who won in the 200 butterfly in 1:55.09, and Vermund Vetnes, who was victorious in the 100 free in a time of 46.39. The 400 free relay, consisting of Alberto Moraes, Devin Scanlon, Joe Grigas and Brian Peresie closed the meet by winning the event in 3:08.55.

After two disappointing losses to Oakland and Toledo over the weekend in addition to the team's early struggles, this win was a good way to finish the season for the Bobcats, Culver said. The men now will look toward Ypsilanti, Mich., where the MAC Championships will take place March 4-6. Yesterday's win should send Ohio there with a little more confidence, as Buffalo is one of the teams it will be battling for position in the final standings.

"(The meet was a) great final tuneup going into the MAC Championships," Werner said. "Buffalo's certainly one of those teams that's right in the middle of the pack, kind of like us. There's a lot of shifting to see who's going to finish where and who has the psychological edge going in."