KINGSTON, R.I. - The Simmons College women's swimming & diving team competed in this morning's New England Intercollegiate Swimming & Diving Association Championship with nine entries qualifying for tonight's finals and seven earning a spot in this evening's consolation finals in Kingston, R.I. at host University of Rhode Island.
The Sharks have 18 entries, who have already qualified to score and will see at least one competitor in every finals event this evening.
Junior Natalie Giraldi (Bedford, N.H.) finished first in the 50-yard breaststroke in the prelims with a school-record time of 30.56 to clip her own mark for the Sharks.
Simmons sends a pair of competitors to tonight's 500-yard freestyle finals following a second-place showing from sophomore Kerry Fleming (Northampton, Mass.) with a time of 5:14.57 and a third-place effort from Laura Simpson (Perkiomenville, Pa.) at 5:17.41.
First year Laura List (Bedford, Mass.) finished second in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 25.06 to qualify for tonight's finals, while senior Miriam Swisher's (Albuquerque, N.M.) fourth-place finish following a time of 2:10.11 puts her into the 200-yard backstroke finals. Junior Michaela Morris (Duxbury, Mass.) posted a time of 1:01.23 in the 100-yard butterfly to place sixth and senior Hannah Plourde (Westfield, Mass.) turned in a mark of 2:20.75 in the 200-yard individual medley to also finish sixth to qualify them both for the finals in their respective events.
The Sharks finished second in the 200-yard freestyle relay with Swisher leading off, followed by List, Giraldi and senior Sarah Price (New York, N.Y.) to combine on a time of 1:40.62, while their quartet of Swisher, Giraldi, Morris and Fleming posted a time of 4:03.89 to place second in the 400-yard medley relay.
First year diver Cristina Samaniego (Avon, Conn.) will compete in tonight's finals as well after placing fifth on the one-meter board with a score of 253.55.
Simmons will also have seven entries in tonight's consolation finals. Senior Emmie Lindholm (Sterling, Mass.) (5:37.84) placed 14th in the 500-yard freestyle, while sophomore Kara Smith (Eastham, Mass.) (1:03.42) finished 11th in the 100-yard butterfly. Sophomore Cassie Vietas (Tampa, Fla.) (2:18.77) registered a 14th-place effort in the 200-yard backstroke and Price finished 11th in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 25.88. The Sharks will also see three competitors in tonight's consolation finals for the 200-yard individual medley with senior Julie Nguyen (Salem, Mass.) (2:21.41), sophomore Jason Erichsen (Banks, Ore.) (2:23.29) and junior Lindsay Nichols (Kennebunk, Maine) (2:24.01) finishing 12th, 13th and 14th, respectively.
The Sharks head into tonight's finals with a first-place standing after winning last night's 800-yard freestyle relay.