Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lehigh
Bucknell Women's Swimming and Diving Downs Lehigh, 198-95, on Senior Day
1/24/2009 7:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
Jan. 24, 2009
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell women's swimming and diving team wrapped up its dual meet schedule on Saturday and defeated Lehigh by a 198-95 score Saturday afternoon at Kinney Natatorium. The Bison posted 13 victories in the 16 events with Megan Mongan (Malvern, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) and Macey Keath (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest) leading the way with two wins apiece.
Bucknell (7-3, 4-2 PL) swept the top three spots in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke, 50 and 100 freestyle and the 100 breaststroke as it earned 26 top-three finishes overall in the individual swimming events.
Mongan picked up her victories in the 100 and 200 free. In the 100 free she led a 1-2-3 Bison sweep with a time of 54.40 seconds, while her time of 1:56.83 in the 200 free was more than 1.5 seconds faster than second-place Kristen Keenan of Lehigh (6-5, 3-2 PL).
Keath earned her seventh and eighth first-place showings of the year as she swept the 100 and 200 breast events. Keath has not finished lower than third in the 100 breast in eight races this season and has now won the event in back-to-back meets against Patriot League foes after winning last Saturday against Army. She has also finished in the top three in the 200 breast in all eight races she has competed in. Her time of 2:25.09 was more than two seconds ahead of runner-up Melanie Rolish of Lehigh.
Other winners for the Bison in swimming events included Jamie Chakany (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) in the 1,000 free, Courtney Warren (Montour Falls, N.Y./Watkins Glen) in the 100 back, Kristen Bucaria (Smithtown, N.Y./Hauppauge) in the 200 fly, Molly Goebel (New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan) in the 50 free, Abigail Atkinson (Newtown, Conn./Newtown) in the 200 back and Kaitlyn Sweeney (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) in the 100 fly.
The Bison were also strong in the relays, taking the top two spots in the 200 medley relay, while they would have done the same in the 800 free relay, but swam those as exhibitions. Atkinson, Keath, Sweeney and Sarah Suchoff (Norwalk, Conn./Brien McMahon) comprised the winning 200 medley relay unit that clocked a 1:51.64.
Bucknell dominated the diving competitions as well with Allison FitzPatrick (Berwyn, Pa./Episcopal Academy) winning the one-meter competition with a season-best 228.98. She was followed by Rebecca Bersani (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) in second with a score of 221.85. Those two were reversed in three-meter competition with Bersani taking first with a season-best score of 247.58 and FitzPatrick in second with a 235.95.
Prior to the meet Bucknell's five seniors (Susan Horstmann, Alexandra Lovallo, Kelly Morris, Meghan O'Neill and Nikki Seaman) were honored as part of Senior Day festivities.
The Bison will still be home two more times this year as they will host the Bison Invitational next Saturday, Jan. 31. Additionally, Kinney Natatorium will be the host site for the Patriot League Championships next month.
