Navy vs. James Madison

HARRISONBURG, Virginia, October 14. THE James Madison swimming and diving team won 11 of 16 events and also set a pool record in the 200-yard medley relay as it defeated Navy 187-113 at the Savage Natatorium in Godwin Hall on Friday.
JMU improved to 4-0 to start the 2011-12 campaign while dropping Navy to 1-1.

“It was really good to see the team work as a unit this early in the season,” head coach Samantha Smith said. “It was our first home meet of the year, as well as Parent’s Weekend and we were fed off the energy of each other. The team swam with pride today.”

The meet got off to a quick start for JMU as the 200 medley relay team of senior Catalina Mendieta (Parkland, Fla./Marjory Stoneman Douglas), junior Caroline Burns (Severn Park, Md./Severn School) and freshmen Sin Hye Won (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) and Susanne Gingher (Boalsburg, Pa./State College Area) set a new Savage Natatorium record by finishing in 1:44.65.

Mendieta added a first-place finish in the 100-yard butterfly and was second in the 50 freestyle. She touched the wall in 57.00 seconds to edge Navy’s Toni Paruso in the butterfly while completing the 50 free in 24.01. Gingher edged Mendieta in the 50 free in a time of 23.78. She also finished first in the 100 free with a time of 52.80.

Other swimmers to win multiple events for Madison include sophomoreKelsey Holmgaard (Roanoke, Va./George Mason) and freshman Aimee Hooper (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa). Holmgaard won the 200 free (1:54.03) and the 200 individual medley (2:07.88) while also taking second in the 100 free (53.09). Hooper touched the wall first in the 200 fly with a time of 2:05.24 while also winning the 500 free with a time of 5:01.91.

In diving, junior Nicole Jotso (Suffern, N.Y./Suffern) finished first in both events. She claimed top honors on the one-meter with a score of 302.02 while also besting the field in the three-meter board with a 314.63. JMU placed the top four finishers on both boards with Jotso being joined by junior Kimberly Helfrich (Fort Belvoir, Va./West Springfield), senior Chelsea Savage (Bedford, Texas/L.D. Bell) and freshman Alex Savage (Carrollton, Texas/Lewisville Hebron) in the top four.

The Dukes relay teams won both relay events. After winning the 200 medley relay in a pool-record time, Won and Gingher were joined by senior Eva Hannesdottir (Seltjarnarnes, Iceland/Kvennaskolinn) and freshman Kelly Johanson (Larchmont, N.Y./Mamaroneck) in winning the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:32.85.

Navy was led by Kellie Darmody and Laura Gorinski, both of whom won a pair of events. Darmody was first in both backstrokes, winning the 100 in 57.68 and the 200 in 2:04.49. Gorinski recorded a time of 1:04.87 to win the 100 breaststroke and a 2:19.16 to take the 200 breaststroke. Ange Sawick picked up Navy’s fifth event win, touching the wall in 10:13.88 to win the 1,000 freestyle.

“Navy swam really well and was tough today,” Smith said. “It is a good win as we head into a big day tomorrow at Virginia Tech.”

JMU is back in action on Saturday as they travel to Blacksburg, Va., for a double-dual meet with Virginia Tech and N.C. State, beginning at 1 p.m.

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World Magazine. It has been posted in its entirety without editing. Swimming World offers all outlets the chance to reach our audience by contacting us at Newsmaster@swimmingworldmagazine.com. However, Swimming World reserves the right to choose what material is posted.

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