Lafayette, Army Split Dual Meet

EASTON, Pennsylvania, November 4. THE Lafayette women's swimming and diving team sank Army in its season opener on Saturday, claiming a 162-133 win on Saturday afternoon at the Ruef Natatorium. The Leopards' men's team fell 159-120 to the Black Knights, which finished second at last year's Patriot League championships.

Last year, the Army women beat Lafayette 143-100 at West Point. But an infusion of talent, including four freshmen who swam in-season best times in their first career scored meet, and marked improvement among the Leopards' returners carried the women to a convincing victory that was wrapped up with three events to go.

Freshmen Hilary White (200 free), Kristen Tyler (100 Fly), Jennifer Nunn (500 Free, 1000 Free) and Barbara Pennington (200 Breast) combined to win five events for the Leopards.

Pennington also contributed to the winning 200 medley relay team in the first event of the day, along with Shelby Grabowski, Kerry Nichols and Katie Kaczka. Tyler led off the 400 free relay that competed as an exhibition but would have won by more than four seconds. She was joined by Marcella Nehrbass, Liz Geary and Kaczka.

"We opened the season with high expectations and did what we were ready to do," said head coach Jim Dailey, the 2006 Patriot League Women's Swimming Coach of the Year. "We didn't rest for this one at all and are looking forward to next weekend against Bucknell and Navy.

"The atmosphere was electric – everyone was cheering and helping their teammates out. If we can reproduce this every meet we should finish better than our Patriot League preseason poll finish of fifth in February."

Upperclassmen Grabowski (100 back), Geary (100 breast, 200 back) and Kaczka (50 free, 100 free) each won their events for Lafayette, which had four one-two performances in the first seven events contested. Michelle Oswald was second in the 100 back, Pennington was outpaced by Geary in the 100 breast, and Nehrbass and Tyler placed second to Kaczka in the 50 and 100 free, respectively.

The third place finishers included Julie Sauer in the 200 fly, Oswald in the 200 back and 200 IM, Lauren Bedard in the 200 breast and Paige Hulsizer in the 500 free.

On the men's side, Dailey saw significant improvement from the last three years, particularly in the improved athleticism of the team with the addition of 12 freshmen that are forcing everyone else to perform up to their potential.

"Ryder Pingry (Lafayette's senior captain) swam great relay splits in the 200 medley relay and 400 free relay," Dailey said. "We also had very fast performances from John Jenkins in the 50 and 100 free and J.B. Worster in the 100 and 200 free, and Steve Rubino, a freshman had a great 100 fly.

"I think this will be the tip of the iceberg for the men's team. They are really excited about how they are swimming and I am as well."

Jenkins turned in the Leopards' individual victory, winning the 50 free in 22.22. Rubino placed second in both the 100 fly (52.82) and 200 fly (2:02.57). Army swam the final four events as exhibitions, so Rubino was credited with a win in the 100.

Worster's 200 free (1:48.49) was good for third, and Jenkins (48.53) and Worster (48.80) were second and third in the 100 free. Brian Cronise was third in 3M diving with 241.5 points.

In other exhibition results, Kevin Oswalt and Cronise would have placed a close three-four in 1M diving, and Brian Wolz was third in the 200 IM.

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