DALLAS, PA - The Susquehanna University women's swim team had perhaps their biggest test of their early season Saturday competing at Misericordia's Cougar Splash Invite. Originally intended as a two-day meet split between Friday and Saturday, the first day was preempted due to inclement weather, leaving Saturday's two sessions as the essence. The River Hawks competed against host Misericordia, Widener, Arcadia, Ramapo, and Juniata, finishing fifth with 232 points.
The meet opened Saturday morning in the 200 medley relay, where the foursome of
Ashley Derrick,
Mackenzie Moran,
Cameron Alvino, and
Payton Kenney took sixth at 1:54.89. In the first solo event of the meet, the 400 IM,
Catherine Sirignano turned in a third-place time of 4:55.38, just eight seconds off the pace, while
Kate Wolford swam a 5:08.59 time for sixth.
Madison Milheim was Susquehanna's top finisher in the 100 butterfly in 11th with a time of 1:07.35, while
Maddie Lebkicker was 14th at 1:10.49.
Emma Church turned in a fifth-place finish in the 200 freestyle at 2:03.02, while
Matilda Klinetob was seventh in a time of 2:05.64. The 100 breaststroke featured Moran with a team-best 1:12.50 for seventh place, while Kenney was tenth at 1:14.37 and
Isabella Westerfield 13th at 1:16.39. Derrick provided a highlight for the team in the 100 backstroke when she finished second overall at 1:00.92, two seconds behin Misericordia's Kaylee DePietro at 58.83. Sirignano turned in a fifth-place performance with a time of 1:02.70. Alvino placed tenth at 1:04.51, while
Megan Iannacone ranked 11th at 1:04.93.
Hannah Nash was 14th with a time of 1:06.06. On to the 800 freestyle relay, the team of Alvino, Klinetob, Wolford and Iannacone finished fifth at 8:32.51.
The evening shift began with the 1650 freestyle, where Klinetob held the third-fastest time at 18:53.81, while Wolford timed in with the eighth-fastest time at 19:26.18. In the 200 backstroke the River Hawks placed three in the top nine as Sirignano finished fifth at 2:15.68, while Iannacone placed seventh at 2:19.22 and Derrick ninth at 2:20.57. Nash added in a 13th-place time of 2:22.46.
Emma Church raced in the 100 freestyle, finishing sixth at 55.75, tying with Arcadia's Gigi Brown, while Alvino placed tenth at 56.56. Moravn placed third in the 200 breaststroke at 2:31.69. Moving on the 200 butterfly Lebkicker was seventh at 2:31.23, while Milheim was just behind her in eighth at 2:31.35. The 400 freestyle relay, consisting of Derrick, Kenney, Alvino and Church, swam the fifth-fastest time at 3:49.87, while the team of Westerfield, Iannacone, Klinetob and Sirignano turned in the sixth-fastest time at 3:52.51.
The River Hawks do not have another competition until January 11's Landmark tri-meet with Moravian and Goucher, though they will travel down south for a training trip Dec. 13-20.
