The Denison women's swimming & diving team returned to action on Saturday, marking their fifth dual meet of the season against a Division I opponent. This time it was the University of Pittsburgh who made the drive to the Trumbull Aquatics Center. Despite Denison's three wins, the Panthers would prevail 201-96.
The Big Red's first win of the afternoon would come from first-year standout Halli Garza who touched first in the 200 butterfly after a time of 2:05.45. Junior Krysta Garbarino would turn in a fourth place finish in the 200 fly after a time of 2:0872.
Two events later, Mary Van Leuven posted a win and a season-best time of 52.53 in the 100 freestyle, besting teammate Ashley Yearwood who came in fourth in 52.86.
Van Leuven and Yearwood would also swim on the winning 200 freestyle relay team along with Rima Jurjus and Carolyn Kane. That team capped off the day with a time of 1:36.37.
Senior Michelle Howell logged three top-6 performances against Pitt. Her top finish came 200 IM where she placed fourth in 2:11.16. In the 200 breaststroke, Marissa Bednarek came in third with a time of 2:24.34 while Howell followed in sixth in 2:30.13. Bednarek would also touch third in the 100 breast in 1:06.29 while Howell came in fifth in 1:07.84.
Denison would record runner-up finishes in the 500 free, the 100 fly and the 50 free. In the 500, Campbell Costley edged teammate Taylor Johns for second place. Costley covered the 20 lengths in 5:01.38 while Johns came in third in 5:04.00.
In the 100 fly, Garbarino (58.03) out-touched Carolyn Kane (58.23) at the wall, but in the 50 free it would be Kane who led the way with a runner-up time of 24.00. Yearwood cracked the top six with a time of 24.37.
Senior Molly Willingham and junior Libby Dalziel went 4-5 in the 200 backstroke after times of 2:11.46 and 2:11.68, respectively.
The second event of the meet was the grueling 1650 freestyle and Johns would lead Denison with a third-place finish and a time of 17:12.09. Costley followed in fourth in 17:15.75.
At the diving well, Denison's Sarah Lopez would lead the team with a pair of third-place finishes on both boards. Her top score of 214.65 would come on the 1-meter. Carrie Bookheimer (185.48) and Sterling Keiser (178.73) would follow in positions 4-5. On the 3-meter, Lopez would tally a score of 212.18 while Bookheimer came in fourth in 182.85.
The first swimming event of the day was the 400 medley relay and the team of Willingham, Bednarek, Carolyn Kane and Van Leuven would take third in 3:56.62. Van Leuven returned two events later for a fifth-place finish in the 200 free (1:56.37). DU's top finishers were rounded out by Keely Lovern who would log a sixth place finish in the 100 back in 1:00.88.
Prior to the meet Denison recognized its seven senior members who were competing in their final dual meet this afternoon. The class which consists of Meghan Bagley, Elizabeth Flaherty, Michelle Howell, Rima Jurjus, Sterling Keiser, Janet Watson and Molly Willingham has won three consecutive North Coast Athletic Conference championships and has placed third (twice) and fourth at the NCAA Division III Championships.
Denison will return to action next Saturday (Jan. 24) when they travel to Pittsburgh, Pa. for a dual meet against Carnegie Mellon at 1 p.m.
