Courtesy Williams Sports Information

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Williams College men's swimming and diving team has expanded its commanding lead heading into the final day of the 2006 NESCAC Swimming and Diving Championships.

The Ephs won five of eight events Saturday and now have a two-day total of 1,469 points, nearly 400 ahead of second-place Tufts University, which has 1,079.5. Amherst College is in third place with 985.

Some of Saturday's highlights for the leaders included a thrilling 800 free relay victory which ended with a NESCAC, meet and pool record time of 6:48.76, junior Stephen Spinelli's setting a new meet record en route to a 200 free title, first-year Norman Scott setting a new meet record in the 100 butterfly and senior Will Cunningham defending his 100 backstroke title with a new meet and pool record time of 49.57 seconds.

One of the day's most dominating performances belonged to Amherst junior Ethan Treat, who set a new NESCAC, meet and pool record in the 400 IM with a winning time of 3:58.34. It was the second straight title for Treat, who also set a NESCAC, meet and pool record in the event at the 2005 championships. Amherst also received a win from John Ancona in the 100 breaststroke. Wesleyan junior Ben Byers won the 1,000 freestyle in 9:30.90.

The other winner for Williams was the foursome of Cunningham, Scott, Tyler Bonewell and Blake Albohm in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:32.73.

Tufts has two second-place finishes. In the 800 free relay, the race came down to Williams' Spinelli vs. Tufts' Brett Baker over the final laps. Spinelli just outouched Baker to give Williams the win, 6:48.76 to 6:49.04, both national "A" cut times. Joining Baker on the 800 free were Grego Bettencourt, Justin Fanning and Jonathan Godsey.

In the 200 free, Spinelli was victorious in 1:41.29, with Baker second in 1:41.87 and Bettencourt third in 1:42.01.