January 17, 2010

NEW LONDON, Conn.--The Connecticut College swimming and diving teams hosted the University of Maine and Southern Connecticut State University at Lott Natatorium Sunday in tri-meet a featuring programs from the Division 1, 2, and 3 level of competition.

In the men's action, the Camels (6-3) grounded the Owls of Southern Connecticut State in a 168-114 win and defeated the Maine Black Bears 179.5-91.5. The Maine men upended Southern Connecticut State 152-28. The Camel women (6-3) earned a split with a 175-105 victory against Maine and a 152-145 loss to Southern. The Owls added a 162-132 victory against Maine.

Connecticut College head coach Marc Benvenuti saluted the 10 members of the class of 2010 in a pre-meet ceremony and was pleased with the weekend's results as the teams begin to prepare for championship season in February and March.

"We had a great two days of racing," Benvenuti said. "It was especially nice to send the seniors out with some fast swimming. This class has really changed our program for the better and left quite a legacy."

Four men won multiple individual events for the Camels Sunday.

Senior Pat Troy (Bradford, N.H.) provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championship in the 100 yard butterfly, posting a time of 51.11 seconds. The standout performance was an improvement on his qualifying time of 51.17 seconds Saturday. In the 200 yard fly, Troy notched a winning time of 1:58.30.

Sophomore Tim Walsh (Lincoln Park, N.J.) posted wins in the 100 and 200 yard backstroke with respective times of 54.18 seconds and 1:56.31. Walsh had provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championship in the 200 yard back with his time of 1:54.29 Saturday. Senior Grant Moryan (Westfield, N.J.) won the 50 and 100 yard freestyle events with times of 21.55 and 47.42 seconds. Classmate Sam Perley (Charlotte, N.C.) triumphed in both the 100 and 200 yard breast with winning times of 1:00.76 and 2:17.38 for the Camels.

The men added a pair of victories in the relays. The Camel foursome comprised of Pat Troy, Tim Walsh, Brian Finnerty (Garden City, N.Y.) and Grant Moryan topped the field with a time of 1:26.51. In the 400 yard medley relay, Walsh, Sam Perley, Troy, and Austin Meszaros (Morristown, N.J.) cruised to victory in 3:36.06.

Junior Sarah Murphy (Williamsburg, Va.) paced the Camels with victories in the 100 yard free (55.17 seconds) and the 200 yard fly (2:09.96). Erika Fernandes (Westport, Mass.) registered a win in the 50 yard free with a time of 25.35 seconds.

The Camel women swept the relays Sunday. Erika Ferandes, Mackenzie Lilly (Frederick, Md.), Jessica Schanzer (Monterey, Calif.) and Leigh Weymouth (Canandaigua, N.Y.) cruised to victory in the 200 yard free relay with a time of 1:41.61. In the 400 yard medley relay, Schanzer, Katie Karlson (Wayland, Mass.), Sarah Murphy and Caitlin Munns (Westfield, Mass.) posted a winning time of 4:06.39 for the Camels.

Connecticut College will travel to Middletown, Conn. Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. tri-meet against Wesleyan University and Colby Sawyer College.