MOUNT BERRY, Ga. - While Berry's divers had competed at a meet early this fall and the full team participated in an intrasquad scrimmage last week, Saturday at the Cage Center Natatorium was the first time that Berry's full men's and women's swim and dive team had the opportunity to compete against outside compeititon.

The Vikings hosted Montevallo and Emmanuel College for a tri-meet Saturday. Performing against two schools that had already competed this season, the Vikings still acquitted themselves well, getting good beginning times in numerous events while earning the top spot in some events along the way.

Ross Valdez earned Berry's first win of the season in an event when he won by just under one second in the 500-Yard Freestyle. His time of 4:50.69 was just better than Leonardo Trevisan's 4:51.23 from Emmanuel.

In the 200-Yard IM, Sam Tate would get a victory for the Vikings in a time of 1:59.98, earning the win by less than half a second. Tate would finish in fourth in the 50-Yard Freestyle in 21.39, just .02 out of third and .05 out of second. In men's action late in the meet, Brand's 52.47 in the 100-Yard Butterfly was good for third.

Many of the events would be close throughout the morning and afternoon. Berry's men's 200-Yard Medley Relay squad of Breck Richards, Ryan MacKinnon, Noah Brand, and Kenny Hunter finished in third place with a 1:37.31, just .65 out of first place. Berry's women's relay team of Isabella Decker, Viola Hasko, Sarabeth Brown, and Emma Stewart finished in second place with a 1:53.78, just over two seconds out of first but in second by only .69 seconds.

Also on the women's side, Ashley Young would place third in the 200-Yard Freestyle with a 2:04.81, earning a podium finish by just over .30 seconds. Decker would post a second place finish in the 100-Yard Backstroke with a 1:04.21. Hasko would tally a third place mark in the 100-Yard Breaststroke with a 1:07.79. Brown just missed out on a second place finish in the 200-Yard Butterfly, coming home in third with a 2:19.55, just .08 out of second. Paris Thornburg started her season with a third place finish in the 100-Yard Freestyle with a 57.43.

Berry will next be in action at Centre Nov. 5 in Danville, Ky.