BIDDEFORD, Maine - Sophomore Miriam Swisher (Albuquerque, N.M.) tallied 27 points and broke a pool record to lead the Simmons College swimming & diving team over host University of New England, 156-106, this afternoon in Biddeford, Maine. The Sharks improve to a perfect 4-0, while the Nor'easters fall to 2-1.
Swisher won all three individual events that she entered as well as the 200-yard medley relay for Simmons. The sophomore turned in a time of 2:01.72 in the 200-yard freestyle to shatter the pool record at UNE by nearly three seconds. Swisher also finished first in the 100-yard backstroke with a mark of 1:03.47 and the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 25.82, just missing the pool record by 0.7 seconds. She joined first years Michaela Morris (Duxbury, Mass.), Natalie Giraldi (Bedford, N.H.) and Baylee Carroll (Massena, N.Y.) to register a time of 1:57.33 in the 200-medley relay.
Swisher led a sweep of the 100 back, with Morris placing second in the event with a time of 1:07.91 and senior Joleigh Ferro (Pittsfield, Mass.) finishing third with a time of 1:09.67 for the Sharks. Ferro also swam well in the 50 back, winning the race with a time of 31.47. Simmons also took the top three spots in the 100 free, led by senior Chloe Davis' (Merrimack, N.H.) winning time of 58.74 followed by sophomore Sarah Price (New York, N.Y.) with a time of 59.43 and sophomore Jordan Mattheisen (Seattle, Wash.) with a mark of 59.46.
Giraldi won the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:11.77 for the Sharks, while sophomore Hannah Plourde (Westfield, Mass.) clocked in at 2:26.63 to win the 200-yard individual medley.
Simmons finished the meet by taking first and second place in the 400-free relay. Giraldi, Price, first year Emily Papp (Newtown, Conn.) and Davis combined to win the race with a time of 3:55.58, while the Sharks contingent of Ferro, Carroll, sophomore Julie Nguyen (Salem, Mass.) and senior Hillary Wong (Quincy, Mass.) turned in a time of 3:59.77.
Lindsey Thomsen had a record-setting day for the Nor'easters, bettering team and pool record in the 50-yard breaststroke with a time of 32.35. The previous team record was held by Sara Shea (32.79) and the pool record (32.76) belonged to Kristen Grandonico of Roger Williams University.
Kayla Burgess and Kelly Dolyak paced the Nor'easters with a pair of individual victories each. Burgess was first in the 50-yard butterfly (28.75), as well as the 100-yard butterfly (1:02.12), while Dolyak earned wins in the 500-yard freestyle (5:41.88) and 1,650 freestyle (19:42.59).
Simmons will return to the pool on Saturday, November 15 when it heads to Wellesley, Mass. to take on Wellesley College for a 1:00 p.m. meet, while UNE is home again on November 15 when the Nor'easters host Husson University at 1:00 p.m.