Bryant posts first-ever win over Vermont on Sunday
Posted: Nov 11, 2018

Bryant posts first-ever win over Vermont on Sunday

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Buoyed by dominant efforts from Jillian Rice (Trumbull, Conn.), Alaina Scifo (Ipswich, Great Britain) and Kelci Abernethy (Chandler, Ariz.), the Bryant University women's swimming and diving team earned its first-ever win over Vermont, 166-133, on Sunday afternoon at the Chace Athletic Center Pool.

Coach Cameron's Comments

"I am so, so excited and proud of our women. Tough day marked by illness and fatigue but we fought hard to come out on top anyway. We have tried to beat Vermont for 12 years and finally got it done today. Today is a great indicator of how special a team this is."

Coach LoCurto's Comments

"It was great to have the girls place so well. It made a big diffidence in the outcome of the meet. We had some lifetime best dives but still have work to do to stitch together 6 great dives to achieve lifetime bests."

How the Bulldogs fared

  • Rice won three individual events and helped the Black and Gold salt away a victory with a win in the 400 free relay. She started her day with a victory in 200 free (1:56.79) and then added first-place finishes in the 50 free (24.72) and 100 free (54.19).
  • Scifo also had a hand in four victories on the day as she won two individual events and was a part of two relay victories. She won the 100 back (58.63) and the 200 back (2:05.51).
  • The Black and Gold also received a victory from sophomore Heather Wong (Ramsey, N.J.) in the 100 breast. She won the event with a time of 1:07.54.
  • Led by Abernethy's two victories, the divers dominated on Sunday. Abernethy won the 1 meter dive with a score of 223.25 and the 3 meter dive with a score of 215.50.
  • Bryant went 1-2 in the 1 meter dives and 1-2-3 in the 3 meter dives.
  • The Black and Gold bookended the meet with victories in the 200 medley relay and the 400 free relay. Scifo, junior Kayleigh Canavan (Cumberland, R.I.), sophomore Elin Svard (Falun, Dalarna, Sweden) and classmate Alexa Rivera (Boynton Beach, Fla.) teamed up to win the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:49.08.
  • In the 400 free relay, Rivera, Scifo, Canavan and Rice claimed first place with a time of 3:37.68.

Stats and Notes

  • Sunday's win is Bryant's first over Vermont in program history.
  • Rice and Scifo have now each won eight events over the last two meets.
  • Abernethy, the reigning NEC Diver of the Week, has won the 1 meter and 3 meter dives in each of her last two meets.
  • Bryant is now 5-1 in dual meets to start the season.

Up Next

The Bulldogs make the short trip to Kingston, R.I., this weekend for the Harold Anderson Invitational. The three-day meet kicks off Friday night at 5:00 p.m.