Valparaiso returned to the pool on Thursday evening for the first time since the Mid-Continent Conference Championship but dropped a 144-68 result against Hope at the Athletics-Recreation Center.

The Crusaders opened the meet with a second place finish in the 200 medley relay as the team of Travers Smith (Huntley, Ill./Huntley H.S.), Jeff Ewers (Huntertown, Ind./Carroll H.S.), Bob Pedersen (Urbana, Ill./Urbana H.S.), and David Kesler (Beverly Hills, Mich./Birmingham Groves H.S.) touched the wall in 1:40.77.

Neal Badgett (Houston, Texas/Strake Jesuit Prep H.S.) then earned a runner-up finish in the 1000 freestyle with a time of 10:49.01. Bob Schmidt (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville H.S.) earned the same finish in the 200 free with a mark of 1:50.17. Smith made it three straight second place finishes for the Brown and Gold in the 50 free, finishing in 22.64 seconds.

David Peterson (Schererville, Ind./Highland H.S.) earned Valpo's lone individual victory on the evening, posting a win in the 400 individual medley. The freshman's time of 4:24.60 was nearly four seconds better than his nearest competitor.

Pedersen finished as the Brown and Gold's top finisher in the 100 butterfly, placing third with a time of 57.21 seconds. Schmidt then tallied his second runner-up finish of the day, turning in a time of 49.13 seconds in the 100 free. He trailed the victor by just .02 seconds. Smith also finshed second in the 100 backstroke with a mark of 54.10 seconds.

Badgett tallied his second place finish of the day in the 500 free, touching the wall in 5:12.06. Peterson was Valpo's top 100 breaststroker, finishing third with a time of 1:03.47.

The Cruasders finished on a high note though, as the 200 freestyle relay took home top honors with a time of 1:32.01. Keith Aumend (Lake Worth, Fla./Wellington H.S.), Pedersen, Peterson, and Schmidt finished .58 seconds in front of the Flying Dutch.

Valpo (1-3) will return to action a week from Friday (Jan. 16) when the Crusaders travel to Ball State for a 5 p.m. meet.