WSWM nipped by Brown, 96-90

BULLDOGS FALL TO BROWN ON SENIOR NIGHT

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – In the final home meet of her career, senior Casey Ostrander (Yarmouthport, Mass.) won two events but it wasn't enough as Brown defeated the Bryant University women's swimming and diving team, 96-90, on Thursday night at the Chace Athletic Center Pool.

The Bulldogs (7-4) honored their eight-member senior class prior to the game but could not get past the Bears (6-2). Bryant also received two victories from junior Taylor DeBever (Denver, Colo.) and a victory from freshman Julia Messina (Canandaigua, N.Y.).

Bryant's greatest female swimmer, Ostrander finished her home career with victories in the 50 free and the 100 back. She won the 50 free by nearly a second and a half and the 100 back by almost three seconds. DeBever won the 100 free (54.10) and the 500 free (5:09.45), the 500 free coming by nearly three seconds. Messina won the 100 breast with a time of 1:08.77 and finished second in the 200 IM with a time of 2:15.98.

DeBever's victory in the 100 free highlighted a sweep for the Black and Gold in the event as Kristie Chan (San Francisco, Calif.) finished second (54.54) and Kaitlin Buckley (Duxbury, Mass.) finished third (54.99). Also swimming in her final home meet, Molly Smith (Belmont, Mass.) earned a pair of third-place finishes in the 100 breast (1:09.51) and the 200 free (2:01.04).

Prior to the meet, the Bulldogs honored their eight-member senior class that included Ostrander, Smith, Katherine Unger (Orangeburg, N.Y.), Kim Carballeira (East Setauket, N.Y.), Brianne Dwyer (Hicksville, N.Y.) and Stephanie Naumchevski (Waldwick, N.J.).

Bryant returns to the pool next weekend when it takes the short trip up to Worcester, Mass., to face Holy Cross on Feb. 2.