11/01/2008
Swim & Dive Remain Unbeaten

South Hadley, Mass. 11/1/08 - The Clark University women's swim and dive team move to 3-0 on the season in its first tri-meet of the year, while the Cougar men also remain unbeaten in a dual-meet against Elms College held at Mount Holyoke College Saturday afternoon.

Powered by junior Dana Ackerfelds (Bronxville, N.Y./Bronxville) and first year Erin Smith (Carrollton, Texas/Newman Smith), Clark picked up a double-dual meet sweep on the womens side. The duo captured two first place finishes apiece, as the Cougars downed Mount Holyoke 81-59 and Elms 115-24. Mount Holyoke notched a 97-33 triumph over Elms in the third matchup. Clarks men also found the win column, defeating Elms 164-122.

Clark recorded first place results in eight of the 16 womens events. Ackerfelds came out on top in both the 100-yard (1:06.29) and 200-yard (2:23.53) backstroke events. Meanwhile, Smiths wins came in the 200-yard (2:01.99) and 500-yard (5:26.66) freestyle races. The Cougars also received solid production from sophomore Britney Wigley (Newport Beach, Calif./Corona del Mar) and senior Kayleigh Lagasse (Pawtucket, R.I./Wiliam E. Toiman), who clocked top time in the 1,000-yard freestyle (11:31.66) and 100-yard butterfly (1:05.36), respectively. Clark fared well in the diving events as well. First year Eileen Garcia (New York, N.Y./NYC Lab School) won the 1-meter and senior Jessica Baker (Queensbury, N.Y./Queensbury) took top honors in the 3-meter.

Mount Holyoke was paced by junior Lindsay Schonborn (Orinda, Calif.) and first year Sarah Rooney (Orange, Conn.), who each racked up four first place finishes. Individually, Schonborn grabbed top honors in both the 100-yard (1:10.50) and 200-yard (2:39.13) breaststroke events, as well as the 200-yard individual medley (2:22.04). She also teamed with Rooney, junior Shannon Sutherland (Ridgefield, Conn./Ridgefield) and sophomore Michelle Kroll (Easthampton, Mass.) to win the 200-yard medley relay (1:59.93). Rooney was a member of the Lyons 200-yard freestyle relay squad that secured first place honors (1:51.03). Other members of the team were junior Amanda McGrosky (Southampton, Pa./William Tennent), first year Lydia Bowers (Windham, Conn.) and first year Isa Wismann-Horther (Centennial Colo.). Her individual triumphs came in the 50-yard (26.51) and 100-yard (58.21) freestyle competitions. Sophomore Miki Yoshida (Hong Kong, China/Hong Kong International) chipped in with a first place finish in the 50-yard butterfly (30.81).

On the mens side, Clark won nine of the 16 events. The Cougars were led by first year Ryan Garr (Kingston, R.I./South Kingston) and sophomore Dan Howard (Bow, N.H./Bow), who captured top honors in four and three events, respectively. Elms received a boost from first year Zach LeBarron (Bennington, Vt./Mount Anthony Union), who found the win column three times.

Mount Holyoke (1-1) will return to action on Saturday, when it competes in Wellesley College's Betty Spears Relays at 1:00 p.m. The Elms women (0-2) will participate in a tri-meet at Simmons College with Wheelock College on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Its men (0-1) will be off until Sunday, November 16 at 11:00 a.m., when they visit St. Joseph's College of Maine. Both Clark squads (2-0) are slated to host Bridgewater State College on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m.

Courtesy of Mount Holyoke College Sports Information