Freshmen shine but Bulldogs fall, 146-115

BULLDOGS FALL TO VERMONT, 146-115

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The University of Vermont broke four pool records on its way to defeating the Bryant University women's swimming and diving team, 146-115, on Sunday afternoon at the Chace Athletic Center Pool.

After starting the season 5-0, the Bulldogs (5-2) have dropped their last two meets. The Catamounts improved to 6-2 with their third-straight victory.

On Sunday, the Black and Gold were led by stellar performances from their freshmen class. Off to outstanding starts to their collegiate careers, Jamie Schaefer (Durham, N.C.) and Julia Messina (Canandaigua, N.Y.) both picked up victories over Vermont. Messina won the 100 breast for the fourth time this season, touching the wall with a time of 1:08.62. She then finished second behind teammate Molly Smith (Belmont, Mass.) in the 200 breast with a time of 2:28.60. Brianne Dwyer (Hicksville, N.Y.) helped the Bulldogs wrap up a 1-2-3 finish in the 200 breast, finishing behind Smith and Messina with a time of 2:31.14. Dwyer also finished second in the 100 breast with a season-best time of 1:09.42.

Emerging as Bryant's top swimmer in the fly, Schaefer picked up an exhilarating victory in the 200 fly. Trailing Vermont's Chelsea Krisanda with 100 yards to go, Schaefer slowly cut the distance and finally overtook Krisanda in the last 50 yards, setting a personal best with a time of 2:09.67. Krisanda, however, was able to get Schaefer in the 100 fly, edging her by less than a second.

The Bulldogs also got strong swims from Elisabeth Schauer (Pelham, N.Y.) and Dana Yu (Bridgewater, N.J.). Schauer finished second in the 100 back, breaking the minute mark for the first time in her career with a time of 59.12. She also finished second in the 200 back with another season-best time of 2:08.95. Yu finished third in the 100 fly and then combined with Schauer to help the 200 medley relay team claim first, and second in the 400 free relay. Dwyer and Kaitlin Buckley (Duxbury, Mass.) joined them in the 200 medley and Casey Ostrander (Yarmouthport, Mass.) and Taylor DeBever (Denver, Colo.) helped in the 400 free. Ostrander won the 100 back and finished second in the 50 free.

The Bulldogs will enjoy Thanksgiving before returning to the pool in the last weekend of November. They will compete in the Harold Anderson Invitational hosted by the University of Rhode Island on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 30-Dec. 1.