Boston College vs. Bucknell

LEWISBURG, Pennsylvania, October 25. THE Bucknell men's and women's swimming & diving teams both achieved victory in their first dual meets of the 2008-2009 season. The Bison men defeated Boston College 182-107, while the Bison women's team beat the Eagles 174-126. Bison freshman swimmer Jonathan Podniesinski (Melville, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills East) won three individual events on the men's side, while sophomore Macey Keath (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest) matched him by winning three individual events in women's competition.

Podniesinski started his day with a win in the 1,000-yard freestyle, winning the race with a time of nine minutes, 44.68 seconds. That time is sixth fastest in the Bison record books for the event. The freshman then swam the 200 breaststroke in 2:10.57, a time that was 3.15 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Andrew Clancey of Boston College. Podniesinski rounded out the day with the top time in the 400 IM, 4:10.43, the ninth fastest time in Bucknell history.

Bison senior co-captain Mark Kawczenski (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./Hanover Area) won both the 100 back (51.59) and the 100 free (46.91). Other first-place finishers for the Bison men were Eric Sokolosky (Branford, Conn./Branford) in the 50 free (21.38), Daniel Fletcher (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grovein the 200 free (1:44.74), Nathaniel Frye (Franklin, Pa./Franklin Area) in the 100 breast (1:00.74) and Gonzalo DeLeon (Ringwood, N.J./Lakewood Regional) in the 200 back (1:54.12).

In relays, the Orange and Blue quartet of Kawczenski, Frye, Sokolosky and Fletcher won the 200 medley (1:34.88), while Fletcher, Kawczenski, Ben Leboza (Green Oaks, Ill./Libertyville) and Taylor Harris (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Central) gave the team a top finish in the 400 free (3:12.21).

In women's swimming, Macey Keath (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest) was victorious in the 100 breast (1:07.42), 200 breast (2:24.42) and the 400 IM (4:37.66). She already holds top-10 times in the Bucknell record books in each of those events.

Bison junior Courtney Warren (Montour Falls, N.Y./Watkins Glen) won the 100 back with a time of 58.60, while classmate Abigail Atkinson (Newtown, Conn./Newtown) won the 200 back in 2:09.36. Bucknell sophomore Molly Goebel (New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan) won the 50 free (24.20), while freshman Kaitlyn Sweeney (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) won the 100 fly in 59.54 seconds.

In relays, Warren, Megan Mongan (Malvern, Pa./Villa Maria Academy), Susan Horstmann (Havertown, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) and Atkinson won the 400 free in 3:38.17, while Warren, Kelly Morris (Metuchen, N.J./Metuchen), Goebel and Mongan won the 200 medley in 1:48.68.

Bucknell men's divers Jeffrey Manning (Bringhurst, Ind./Carroll Jr./Sr. High) and Gregory Zavoluk (Stamford, Conn./Westhill) were the top-two scorers, respectively, in both the one-meter and three-meter diving events. In the one-meter, Manning had a score of 249.38, while Zavoluk registered a 202.13, while in the three-meter, Manning had a 239.33 and Zavoluk a 158.63.

For women's diving, Allison FitzPatrick (Berwyn, Pa./Episcopal Academy) won the three-meter event with a score of 202.35 and placed second on the one-meter board (204.83) behind the Eagles' Devon Kelly (222.75).

Bucknell's men's and women's swimming & diving teams return to Kinney Natatorium on Saturday, Nov. 1, hosting Duquesne. The meet is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.

Special thanks to Bucknell for contributing this report.

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