WALTHAM, Mass. - The Saint Michael's College men's and women's swimming & diving teams kicked off a stretch of three dual meets in five days with losses to Bentley University on Wednesday at the Dana Center Pool. The Purple Knight women slipped to 3-1 with a 191-86 setback against the 6-1 Falcons. On the men's side, 1-3 Saint Michael's dropped a 188-93 decision to 5-2 Bentley. It marked the first competition for the Purple Knights since Nov. 23.
First-year Lindsay McNall (Colchester, Vt./Colchester) had a hand in three wins while breaking her own school record in the 200-yard backstroke, trimming 0.29 seconds off a mark she set on Nov. 22, touching the wall in a winning time of 2:08.62. McNall also won the 200-yard freestyle in 2:01.98 and swam a leg for the victorious 200 free relay, which clocked in at 1:44.54. Senior Julie Mullowney (Burlington, Vt./Burlington), junior Steph Nadow (Charlton, Mass./Saint Peter-Marian) and first-year Katrina Wiesner (Bow, N.H./Bow) also completed legs.
Nadow won the 50 back in 29.93, while senior Grace Kahn (Fairhope, Ala./Bayside Academy) took third place. Nadow was the runner-up to McNall in the 200 back, and Mullowney claimed second in the 50- and 200-yard breaststroke races. First-year Lauren Wheaton (Dartmouth, Mass./Dartmouth) was third in the 50 breast. McNall, Mullowney, Nadow and junior Kim Brady (Morris Township, N.J./Academy of Saint Elizabeth) sided for a second-place showing in the 400-yard medley relay, clocking in at 4:15.98 to fall 1.43 seconds shy of the winning foursome.
Senior Maddie Craig (Westwood, Mass./Westwood) was second in the 200-yard butterfly, and Wiesner placed third in both the 50 and 100 free races. By finishing the 100 free in 58.70, shy was 0.16 seconds shy of second place.
Junior Nathan Paluso (Windham, Maine/Windham) took second in the 500 free in 5:20.39, just 0.05 seconds short of the winner from Bentley. First-year Seth Boudreau (Saint Albans, Vt./BFA-Saint Albans) was second in the 50 back and fourth in the 200 back, while classmate Cam Thirkell (Tyngsboro, Mass./Tyngsboro) was second in the 200 fly and third in the 50 fly. Senior Jack Mulderrig (Rockville Centre, N.Y./South Side) notched third-place finishes in both the 200 breast and 200 fly.
Sophomore Joe Thomas (Norwood, Mass./Boston College HS) was third in both the 100 and 200 free races, and junior Joe Vo (Springfield, Mass./Cathedral) was third in both one-meter diving competitions. Sophomore Nick Johns (Seaford, N.Y./Saint Anthony's) captured fourth in the 200 back, 50 breast and one of the one-meter diving events, while classmate Chad Phalon (Wantage, N.J./Pope John XXIII Regional) was fourth in the 200 breast and 1,000 free.
In the 50 free, sophomore Brandon MacPherson (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield) was fourth while being separated from first-years Stephen Andersen (Concord, N.H./Concord) and Ryan Butler (Waltham, Mass./Waltham) by just 0.66 seconds. The Purple Knights claimed fourth in the 400 medley relay, with Boudreau, Paluso, Thirkell and Thomas each completing a quarter of the race.
Saint Michael's heads to The College of Saint Rose on Saturday for a 1 p.m. meet before visiting Le Moyne College on Sunday.
