Lehigh University
Patriot League Championships
Two school records fall on first day in Annapolis
2/18/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving, Swimming and Diving, Women's Swimming and Diving
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ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Day one is in the books at the 2010 Patriot League championships, and it was a successful day for both Lehigh squads Thursday at Navy’s Lejeune Hall. The Mountain Hawk women opened the meet by setting two school records, while the men rode strong performances in the two relay events to sit in third place after day one. Lehigh’s women finished the first day of competition in sixth place.
Lehigh’s women kicked off both of Thursday’s sessions with a bang. In the morning’s first preliminary event, the 500 yard freestyle, senior Allison Rolish turned in the first sub-five minute time in school history, qualifying for the finals with a time of 4:59.70. In Thursday night’s finals, Rolish matched the old school record with a time of 5:00.27 good for a seventh place finish.
Prior to Rolish’s finals swim, Lehigh opened the evening session with another school record in its fifth-place finish in the 200 free relay. Alena Pollitt, Katie Brinkhoff, Allison Montanye and Paola Simon posted a time of 1:36.38 which beat the previous mark, set at last year’s championships. Simon’s anchor-leg split of 23.54 also bettered the school record for the 50 free.
The Mountain Hawks placed three swimmers in the consolation final of the 50 free. Simon led Lehigh with a tenth place finish with a finals time of 24.28 seconds. Montanye was 15th overall with a time of 24.86 while Brinkhoff was 16th with a time of 25.14.
Sophomore Priscilla Barletta made the consolation final of the 200 individual medley, finishing 12th overall with a time of 2:08.18. Lehigh’s 400 medley relay team of Pollitt, Stephanie Naylor, Julie Sicherman, and Simon placed sixth with a time of 3:56.63
On the diving boards, senior Erin Tormey had a strong showing in the first diving event of the meet, taking fourth in the three-meter event with a score of 241.60.
On the men’s side Lehigh was paced by its relay teams, which both claimed third place in the 200 free relay and the 400 medley relay. In the session-opening 200 free relay, Ryan Guttormsen, Andrew DiPietro, Jon Westfield and Frank Cuzzola posted a time of 1:23.36. In the 400 medley relay, the Mountain Hawks placed third with Tyler Lareau, Kevin McGrath, Angelo DiGiacinto and Cuzzola posting a time of 3:21.41.
Guttormsen was the lone Lehigh male to qualify for a championship final on Thursday as he ultimately placed eighth in the 50 free with a time of 21.35. Three other Mountain Hawks qualified for the consolation final. Cuzzola placed tenth overall with a time of 21.12. Westfield took 14th with a time of 21.45. DiPietro finished 15th with a finals time of 21.51.
Lehigh also had three swimmers in the consolation final of the 500 free. Lareau led the Mountain Hawks with a 12th place finish in 4:36.21. Sophomore Chris Toth was right behind in 13th place with a time of 4:37.45 and freshman Alex Aboud took 15th with a time of 4:39.40.
In the team races, Lehigh’s women sit in sixth place with 96 points, four behind fifth-place Army. The Mountain Hawk men six in third placed with 98 points, but trail second place Bucknell by 74 points. Host Navy leads both the men’s and women’s team standings after winning nine of the eleven contested events on Thursday.
The Patriot League Championships continue Friday at Navy’s Lejeune Hall. Preliminary rounds get underway at 10:30 a.m. with the finals set for 6 p.m.
Women’s Team Standings
|
Team |
Points |
|
1. Navy |
297 |
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2. Bucknell |
205 |
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3. Colgate |
166 |
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4. American |
104 |
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5. Army |
100 |
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6. LEHIGH |
96 |
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7. Holy Cross |
65 |
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8. Lafayette |
59 |
Men’s Team Standings
|
Team |
Points |
|
1. Navy |
317 |
|
2. Bucknell |
172 |
|
3. LEHIGH |
98 |
|
4. Colgate |
91 |
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4. Army |
91 |
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6. American |
74 |
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7. Holy Cross |
46 |
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8. Lafayette |
26 |
