NORTON, Mass. – In a close dual all the way through, the Wheaton College women's swimming & diving team were just nipped by the U.S. Coast Guard Bears on Friday as they fell, 156-144.
The Lyons opened up the meet with the 400 yard medley relay placing second, third and sixth. The second place finishers consisted of Skyler Dean-Lee, Rowan Rice, Aleza Epstein and Jenna Hayden for a final time of 4:09.48.
Molly Gibson grabbed third place in the 1000 yard freestyle tapping in at 11:30.08 with Ceara Bowman (11:36.72), Lucy Frey (11:40.76) and Julia Baynes (11:41.25) right behind her.
Rebecca Idman was the first finisher for the Lyons in the 200 yard freestyle claiming second place at 2:01.51. Tayla Slater (2:04.66) and Claire Bollman (2:06.39) also competed here for Wheaton.
Later on in the 100 yard backstroke, Kelley Baylis and Dean-Lee collected first and second place, holding final times of 1:02.17 and 1:02.98. Bollman and Catie Ebsary then claimed second and third place in the 200 yard butterfly with final times of 2:24.10 and 2:25.64.
Epstein went on to capture first place in the 50 yard freestyle, tapping in at 25.42 and collecting nine points for the team. Kelsey Meyer (25.65), Courtney Leach (26.14) and Kathryn Cole (27.12) followed her.
Battling it out in the 100 yard freestyle, Epstein snagged second place (55.76), Idman third (57.18), Slater fifth (58.01) and Jesse Stewart sixth (58.20).
Hayden took her turn in the 200 yard backstroke and placed first with a final of 2:13.73. Dean-Lee followed her in third (2:18.91), Joanna Zak fourth (2:20.44) and Baylis fifth (2:22.86).
The Coast Guard was able to place first in the 200 yard breaststroke, but Wheaton came through immediately, taking the next two spots thanks to Rice (2:35.50) and Gibson (2:35.64). Almost identical in the 100 yard butterfly, the Bears placed first as Hayden took second (1:00.53) and Courtney Leach took fourth (1:03.06.)
Epstein continued her momentum later in the 200 yard individual medley relay when she clutched another first place finish at 2:17.67. Bollman followed her in third at 2:21.38.
In the one meter dive, Katherine Conway seized first place with a final top score of 188.25 points. Tori Popstein finished third for the Lyons with 179.63.
Conway went on to place first in the three meter dive tallying 195.68 for a final score with Popstein right behind her at 184.35.
Wrapping things up in the 200 yard freestyle relay, Wheaton took second and third place with a final times of 1:40.54 and 1:46.06 as the Coast Guard placed first and fourth.
The Lyons return to the pool on Wednesday in the Balfour Natatorium as they dual it out with Bridgewater Sate at 7 p.m.
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