Jan. 5, 2013
Results
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The Bucknell women’s swimming and diving team faced some tough competition in its first meet back after a month-long layoff as it competed at Columbia’s Uris Pool Saturday afternoon against the host Lions and came away with a 190.5-108.5 loss. Lauren Perry posted three second-place finishes, while Katie Hetherington, Emma Levendoski, Emily Norton and Elizabeth Porcellio recorded victories to lead the Bison.
Perry, a sophomore, was Bucknell’s (3-4) top finisher in the 50 free, 100 free and 200 free, touching the wall second in all three events. She was also part of the 800 free relay that was listed second in the final results. Perry’s time in the 200 free was an impressive 2.91 seconds ahead of the third-place finisher.
Hetherington collected her third victory of the year off the one-meter diving board as her score of 245.40 was her second-best in 2012-13. The sophomore also placed sixth off the three-meter board, two spots behind Bucknell’s top finisher Tara Boyle.
Levendoski, a freshman, led a strong Bison contingent in the 100 backstroke. She touched the wall first in 58.33, 1.59 seconds ahead of the runner-up from Columbia (2-2). Ashley Henderson came in third in the race, while Jennifer Brennan tied for fourth, giving Bucknell three of the top five finishers. Levendoski also placed third in the 200 back.
Norton, a sophomore, won the 100 breast in 1:07.23, marking her second straight victory in the event after winning it against Binghamton in Bucknell’s last dual meet. Norton was second in the 200 breast.
Senior co-captain Porcellio was listed as the winner in the 200 IM as Columbia’s student-athletes swam the race as an exhibition. Her strong time of 2:12.31 was faster than all but one Lion swimmer, while Henderson was just .14 seconds back, also faster than all but one Columbia swimmer. Porcellio was also the top Bison finisher in the 100 fly.
Junior Kelly Pontecorvo also had a strong day with third-place finishes in both the 500 free and 1,650 free, in addition to swimming the leadoff leg of the 800 free relay.
Bucknell’s top finisher was in first or second place in nine of the 16 events contested Saturday.
“We faced a very strong Columbia team and overall we competed well,” commented seventh-year Bucknell head coach Dan Schinnerer. “It was important for us to get back into competition after our long break due to exams and winter break. We wanted to be able to pick up right where we led off in December and in large part we did.”
The Bison will return to action next weekend when they host Patriot League foes Colgate on Friday, Jan. 11, at 10 a.m. and Army on Saturday, Jan. 12, at 1 p.m.