Saint Michael’s Swimming Tops Merrimack

COLCHESTER – The Saint Michael’s swimming and diving team won 11 of 13 events Friday night to knock off Merrimack College in the two teams’ first-ever meeting, 132-80.

Saint Michael’s Press Release

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.

Merrimack Press Release

Highlighted by four first-place finishers, the Merrimack women’s swim team fell in a close match to Saint Michael’s, 132-80, on Friday afternoon.

The Basics

Top Performers: Jennifer Belanger (1st Place | 200 Freestyle, 500 Freestyle)
Location: Saint Michael’s College | Colchester, Vt.

How It Happened

Jennifer Belanger (South Windsor, Conn.) started the run of first-place finishes for the Warriors, winning the 200 freestyle with a time of 2:06.73. Later in the day, Belanger also won the 500 freestyle event with a finishing time of 5:37.07. In the 500 freestyle, she was followed closely by Carly Anne Forrester (Sandwich, Mass.), who finished in second place with a time of 6:16.69.

Erin Lydon (Waltham, Mass.) took first place in the 50-yard butterfly, as the Warriors placed the top-three in that event with Kendra Van Pelt (Burlington, Iowa) and Genesis Garcia (Lawrence, Mass.) finishing second and third, respectively.

Merrimack’s two teams in the 200-yard freestyle finished first and second. The team of Caroline Rogers (Westwood, Mass.), Ireland Wilson (Niantic, Conn.), Van Pelt and Belanger took first place with a time of 1:55.73. The second-place team consisted of Lyndon, Forrester, Julia Collins (North Reading, Mass.), and Nora Pance (Dorchester, Mass.).

Up Next

The Warriors will race against the University of Vermont on Saturday at 2 p.m.

For continuing coverage of Merrimack College Athletics, visit MerrimackAthletics.com and follow the Warriors on Twitter and on Facebook.

Results: Merrimack vs. Saint Michael’s

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