Bulldogs edged by Maine, 134-128, on Senior Day

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – In a meet that came down to the final relay, the Bryant University women's swimming and diving team was edged, 134-128, by the University of Maine on Saturday afternoon at the Chace Athletic Center.

The Bulldogs fall to 3-7 in dual meets on the year. The Bulldogs honored their six-member senior class prior to the meet with the Black Bears.

Senior Mara Valenzuela (Bridgewater, N.J.) won two events for the third-straight meet, while freshman Nicole Salzano (Elmwood Park, N.J.) matched her with a pair of first-place finishes on the afternoon. Valenzuela won the 200 free (1:58.77) and the 100 free (54.72). Salzano claimed the 100 back (1:00.03) and the 500 free (5:15.62). She added a second-place finish in the 1000 free with a time of 10:55.21.

The Black and Gold also received first-place finishes from juniors Jamie Schaefer (Durham, N.C.) and Lauren Doerrman (Oley, Pa.), as well as freshman Valeria Watson (Mexico City, Mexico). Schaefer won the 200 fly with a time of 2:11.96, Doerrman won the 200 IM with a time of 2:13.94 and Watson claimed the 200 back with a time of 2:08.13.

Bryant got other strong performances from Dana Yu (Bridgewater, N.J.) and Samantha Hilton (Fairfield, Conn.). Yu finished second in both the 50 free (25.17) and the 100 fly (1:00.14), while Hilton finished second in the 100 breast (1:09.89) and the 200 breast (2:30.87) in the final home meet of her career.

The Black Bears were able to grab the victory during the final event of the afternoon. Maine's 200 free relay team touched the wall four hundredths of a second faster than the Bulldogs.

Saturday's meet was the final home competition in the careers of Valenzuela, Hilton, Alexandra Morreale (Short Hills, N.J.), Caitlin Hanahoe (Eden Prairie, Minn.), Jennifer Leckie (Corbeil, Ont.) and Kailey Frye (Lakeville, Mass.).