11/03/2007
Swim and Dive Split in Double Dual-Meet against Bryant University and Gordon College

WORCESTER, MASS. 11/03/07 - The Clark University men’s and women’s swim and dive teams split in their double-dual meet season opener against Bryant University and Gordon College on Saturday at the Kneller Athletic Center Pool.

The Clark men (1-1) fell to Bryant (66-103), but posted a 103-62 victory over Gordon, while the Cougar women (1-1) narrowly lost to Bryant, 86-94, and defeated Gordon, 141-50. Bryant also beat Gordon in both men’s (104-61) and women’s (130-54) races.

"We still have a lot of room for improvement, but for the first dual meet, I thought our team competed well," said head coach Paul E. Phillips.

Sophomore Curtis Reid (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and first-year Alex Donnenfeld (New York, N.Y.) raced to individual victories for Clark. Reid captured the 500-yard freestyle in a time of (5:34.84), while Donnenfeld took first in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:10.14). Junior Drew Jackson placed second in a pair of events, including the 200-yard individual medley (2:09.35) and the 100-yard backstroke (57.61).

"The absence of some key members of the men’s team really showed, but the guys who are here stuck together and battled," Phillips added.

Bryant’s Tom Ferrigno paced the team with a pair of individual victories. He won the 100-yard backstroke (56:36) and the 1,000-yard freestyle (10:11.03).

Junior Lindsey Stone (Avon, Conn.), sophomore Dana Akerfelds (Bronxville, N.Y.), and senior captain Jessica Moise (East Walpole, Mass.) highlighted the Cougar women as each earned first place individual finishes. Stone prevailed in the 50-yard freestyle (26.65), while Akerfelds took top honors in the 100-yard backstroke (1:05.34). Moise won the 100-yard breaststroke to round out Clark’s first place finishers.

Junior Kayleigh Lagasse (Pawtucket, R.I.) and newcomer Elizabeth Rosen (North Attleboro, Mass.) placed second in the 100-yard-butterfly (1:05.99) and 100-yard freestyle (57.76), respectively. In her dual-meet debut, first-year Britney Wigley (Newport Beach, Cali.) had a solid showing placing second in the 1,000-yard freestyle (11:34.10) and third in the 200-yard free (2:09.81).

The 200-yard freestyle relay team of Rosen, Laura Banulski (Bristol, Conn.), Stone and Akerfelds also placed first with a time of 1:46.45.

Amy Howell led Bryant with first place finishes in the 1,000-yard freestyle (11:16:54) and the 100-yard butterfly (1:04.77). Christine Scanlon was the only individual winner for Gordon, placing first in the 500-yard freestyle (5:39.61).

The Clark men will host Elms College on Wednesday (7 p.m.). Both teams will be in action when they travel to Bridgewater State College on Saturday (2 p.m.).