Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Bucknell Open
Bucknell Swimming and Diving Teams Both in Second After Day One of Bucknell Open
12/4/2009 7:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
Dec. 4, 2009
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Following day one of the three-day Bucknell Open, both the Bison men's and women's swimming and diving teams stand second of seven teams in the overall standings. Molly Goebel (New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan) and Eric Sokolosky (Branford, Conn./Branford) both finished second in the 50-yard freestyle, highlighting Bucknell's Friday evening action at Kinney Natatorium.
The Bison women accumulated 360 points and stand second to Princeton, which piled up 610 points. Brown (308.5 points), La Salle (282.5) and Rider (246) rounded out the top five on the women's side.
Bucknell's men totaled 303 points with Princeton leading the team totals with 564. La Salle (276), Brown (273) and Columbia (272) rounded out the tightly packed top five.
Goebel, Bucknell's record holder in the 50 free, had the highest finish by a Bison woman on Friday with her runner-up finish in the 50 free. She timed in at 24.04 seconds after swimming a 23.90 in the morning prelims. She also was part of the 200 free relay that took third and the fifth-place 400 medley relay. The 200 free relay quartet completed the race in 1:36.51, to rank seventh on the program's top-10 list.
Megan Mongan (Malvern, Pa./Villa Maria Academy), who swam on both relays along with Goebel and Courtney Warren (Montour Falls, N.Y./Watkins Glen), participated in four of the five swimming events Friday. She finished ninth (first in the "B" final) in the 500 free with a time of 5:05.07, a new personal best and the 10th-best time in program history. Mongan also scored points in the 200 IM, finishing 17th (first in the "C" final) in a season-best 2:09.29.
Lauren Russell (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell) posted Bucknell's best finish after Goebel, taking sixth in the 200 IM in 2:08.33. Freshman Liz Porcellio (Fairport, N.Y./Penfield) grabbed 11th in the same event in a season-best 2:09.40, placing her 10th on Bucknell's all-time list.
Warren (9th in 50 free), Lauren Timmerman (10th in 50 free) and Anna Griest (10th in 500 free) were the other Bison to post top-10 finishes in swimming events Friday evening. Allison FitzPatrick (Berwyn, Pa./Episcopal Academy) placed sixth in three-meter diving, the lone board that was contested on the women's side.
Sokolosky, who was also a member of the 200 free relay and 400 medley relay that both posted top-five finishes, earned one of four top-six finishes by Bison men Friday. His runner-up time of 20.84 in the 50 free was a season best and was nearly one-quarter of a second ahead of third-place Tucker Wetmore of Brown.
Jonathan Podniesinski (Melville, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills East) and Luke Trafton (Bath, Maine/Morse), who claimed fifth and sixth, respectively, in the 500 free, helped the Bison garner 89 of their 303 points in that event. Podniesinski timed in at 4:41.96, while Trafton was .03 seconds back. A total of seven Bucknell swimmers scored in the 500 free.
Daniel Fletcher (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove), who was also a member of both relays along with Sokolosky, earned Bucknell's other top-10 finish with a sixth-place showing in the 200 IM. His time of 1:54.63 was a season-best mark by more than a second.
In diving, David Magaro (Enola, Pa./East Pennsboro Area) placed seventh in one-meter competition. The three-meter board is on Saturday's schedule.
A total of six events were contested on Friday. Princeton claimed first in four of the six events on the men's side, while the Tigers won all but the three-meter diving on the women's side.
Scoring for the Bucknell Open is being done through 24 places with each individual event having an "A", "B" and "C" final.
Competition continues Saturday with the prelims at 10 a.m. and the finals at 6 p.m. The 200 medley relay, 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back and 800 free relay, in addition to men's three-meter diving, are on the day two schedule.
Women's Team Standings (after day one)
1. Princeton - 610
2. Bucknell - 360
3. Brown - 308.5
4. La Salle - 282.5
5. Rider - 246
6. Syracuse - 38
7. Columbia - 20
Men's Team Standings (after day one)
1. Princeton - 564
2. Bucknell - 303
3. La Salle - 276
4. Brown - 273
5. Columbia - 272
6. Rider - 171
7. Syracuse - 45
