COLCHESTER, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College women's swimming & diving team opposed Merrimack College for the first time on Friday, claiming a 132-80 victory in the Ross Sports Center. The Purple Knights improved to 2-1, while the Warriors were competing in their first dual meet of the season.
In a meet that included only 13 events, including no diving competitions, Saint Michael's won 11 races. Junior Julie Shea (Peabody, Mass./Peabody Veterans Memorial/Assumption) played a role in four, including winning the 50-yard freestyle in 26.83 and the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:12.49. She also swam for the winning 200 free and 200-yard medley relays. During the 200 medley, she sided with senior Kim Brady (Morris Township, N.J./Academy of Saint Elizabeth), sophomore Lindsay McNall (Colchester, Vt./Colchester) and first-year Theresa Murphy (Pittsfield, Mass./Pittsfield) for a time of 1:58.28 before joining Murphy, sophomore Katrina Wiesner (Bow, N.H./Bow) and first-year Sammy Sidorakis (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) to clock in at 1:48.40 during the 200 free relay.
The Purple Knights also had the runner-up quartets in both races, including as Brady, senior Steph Nadow (Charlton, Mass./Saint Peter-Marian) and first-years Ally Fischang (Oakland, Maine/Messalonskee) and Coral Santos (Pawtucket, R.I./Saint Raphael Academy) were second in the 200 free relay by just 1.25 seconds. Fischang, Sidorakis, sophomore Lauren Wheaton (Dartmouth, Mass./Dartmouth) and first-year Katherine Lecce (Falls Church, Va./Saint Margaret's School) were second in the 200 medley relay.
Nadow won the 50-yard butterfly in 30.25 and the 100-yard backstroke at 1:05.13, following by Sidorakis in second during the 100 back. Wiesner touched the wall first in the 100 free at 57.37, with Fischang taking the runner-up spot. Fischang was victorious in the 100 fly with a time of 1:08.40, with senior Olivia Hamilton (Bourne, Mass./Bishop Stang) just 0.25 seconds behind in second. Hamilton won the 200-yard individual medley at 2:36.03, with Santos taking second place in that event in addition to the 50 fly and 200 free.
McNall won the 50 back at 28.23, coming within 0.40 seconds of a school record, and Sidorakis was second. Wheaton won the 50-yard breaststroke in 33.31 and placed second in the 100 breast, Lecce was second in the 50 free, and first-year Betsy Portch (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay) took second in the 500 free.
The Saint Michael's men's and women's squads compete at three more events over four days during the coming eight days, beginning tomorrow at Clarkson University at 1 p.m.
