Bulldogs claw but fall, 168.5-108.5

Bryant can't catch Catamounts in last meet before Thanksgiving

BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Bryant University women's swimming and diving team received first-place finishes from Taylor DeBever (Denver, Colo.), Molly Smith (Belmont, Mass.) and Casey Ostrander (Yarmouthport, Mass.) but the University of Vermont came out on top, 168.5-108.5, Sunday afternoon at the Forbush Natatorium.

Competing for the first time in over a week and the last time before Thanksgiving, the Bulldogs (3-6) were unable to match the Catamounts depth. Already a 13-time winner this season, Ostrander won two more events on Sunday against UVM. She won the 50 free with a time of 24.85 and the 100 free with a time of 53.85. Ostrander also finished second in the 100 back.

DeBever won her ninth event of the year, touching the wall with a time of 1:56.27 in the 200 free. She also finished third in the 200 back and helped both the 400 medley relay and the 200 free relay teams to second-place finishes.

Utilized in three events on the afternoon, Smith made the most of them. She finished third in the 100 breast before winning the 200 breast for the fourth time this season. The Massachusetts native finished her day with a second-place finish in the 400 IM.

The Black and Gold also received strong efforts from Brianne Dwyer (Hicksville, N.Y.) and Mara Valenzuela (Bridgewater, N.J.). Dwyer finished second in the 100 breast for the third-straight meet and Valenzuela tied for second in the 50 free and finished third in the 100 free. Kaitlin Buckley (Duxbury, Mass.) also performed well for the Bulldogs, finishing third in the 100 fly and helping the 400 medley relay team and 200 free relay teams to second-place touches.

Bryant has nearly two weeks off before it competes in the URI Invitational on Dec. 2-3 in Kingston, R.I.