Fairfield vs Iona
- January 18, 2025
- New Rochelle, N.Y.
- SCY (25 yards)
- Results
Courtesy: Fairfield Athletics
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – The Fairfield University swimming and diving teams picked up a sweep against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) opponent Iona University on Saturday afternoon. The Stags came away with 19 individual wins in addition to a pair of women’s victories in the relays.
It was one of those relays that started the Stags in the right direction as Erini Pappas, Tone Sandsjo, Lara Kisakol and Olivia Thompson touched the wall first in the 200 medley relay, clocking in at 1:43.40.
The Stags followed up with a sweep of the 1000 free behind the efforts of Erin Hoyland, who completed the distance in 10:11.54, and Joseph Stewart, who collected a time of 9:32.66. The women collected a pair of wins in the next events with Erini Pappas garnering the top time in the 100 back at 56.86 while Tone Sandsjo gathered the first-place swim in the 100 breast (1:02.53).
The Stags wrapped two more event sweeps around Olivia Thompson’s top finish in the 50 free (23.91). Briana Racanello (2:09.25) and Ed Hunt (1:51.29) each won their respective race in the 200 fly. Lillian Tonole and Andrew Cataldo represented Fairfield in the 1 meter dive, picking up the most points in the event. Tonole scored 208.40 points on the women’s side while Cataldo tallied 233.92 points for the men.
Thompson completed her individual day by adding the 100 free’s best time at 52.34 while Pappas did the same in the 200 back with her time of 2:02.45. Fairfield picked up two more sweeps in the coming events, beginning with Alison Sposili (2:20.37) and Jeffrey Vlass (2:06.58) in the 200 breast.
Hoyland also finished up as a double winner after touching the wall first in the 500 free, clocking in at 5:01.79. The Stags came back with a pair of victories in the 100 fly behind the efforts of Lara Kisakol (57.84) and Chris Dauser (49.46).
Tonole secured her second diving gold on the day by scoring an event high 200.63 points off the 3-meter board. Pappas and Hunt closed out the final individual event of the meet with first-place swims as Pappas completed the 200 IM in 2:07.01 while Hunt went the distance in 1:53.22.
Fairfield closed out the day with another top spot in the 400 free relay as Olivia Thompson, Lauren Patalano, Abbie Digregorio and Sydney Scalise combined for a time of 3:31.38.
The Stags will return to the pool on Saturday, January 25 when they host UMass at the RecPlex Pool. Diving starts the day at 11 am followed by swimming events at approximately 1 pm.
First Place Finishes vs. Iona
200 Medley Relay
Erini Pappas, Tone Sandsjoe, Lara Kisakol, Olivia Thompson – 1:43.40
1000 Free
Erin Hoyland – 10:11.54; Joseph Stewart – 9:32.66
100 Back
Erini Pappas – 56.86
100 Breast
Tone Sandsjoe – 1:02.53
200 Fly
Briana Racanello – 2:09.25; Ed Hunt – 1:51.29
50 Free
Olivia Thompson – 23.91
1 Meter Dive
Lillian Tonole – 208.40
Andrew Cataldo – 233.92
100 Free
Olivia Thompson – 52.34
200 Back
Erini Pappas – 2:02.45
200 Breast
Alison Sposili – 2:20.37
Jeffrey Vlass – 2:06.58
500 Free
Erin Hoyland – 5:01.79
100 Fly
Lara Kisakol – 57.84
Chris Dauser – 49.46
3 Meter Dive
Lillian Tonole – 200.63
200 IM
Erini Pappas – 2:07.01; Ed Hunt – 1:53.22
400 Free Relay
Olivia Thompson, Lauren Patalano, Abbie Digregorio, Sydney Scalise – 3:31.38
Courtesy: Iona Athletics
In a long day sparked with emotion, thrills and tears, The Iona University Swimming and Diving left Hynes with a pair of losses to the visiting Fairfield University Stags.
The Iona men went back and forth before falling short in the last two individual events to fall, 156-144 to go to 5-3 on the year. The Iona women, despite a school record effort in the 1,000-yard Freestyle were defeated 216-82, to move to 5-4 on the season.
The afternoon started off with six Iona seniors being introduced with video and music tributes as they swam their last race at Hynes, including co-captains Ashley Benkert and Molly Finn on the women’s and Chase Bateman and Brian Baldwin on the men’s roster. Seniors Hannah Forbes and Nia Thomas were also recognized.
The first race was the Women’s 200-yard Medley Relay that saw Fairfield edge the quartet of Raegan O’Brien (26.99), Juila Moser (29.08), Benkert (25.28) and Megan Josephs (23.54) by 1.49 seconds to win at 1:43.40.
The Iona team of Kieran Egan (22.27), Matthew Loftus (24.78), Brian Baldwin (22.95) and Nick Patino (20.53) posted a 1:31.96 time to win by 1.43 seconds.
The 1000-yard Freestyle saw Fairfield’s distance ace Erin Hoyland post a 10:11.54 time for the win as she pulled away from a furious charge by Iona Junior Katherin Sarnes who dropped 5.98 from her previous career best to clock 10:21.61 for silver, breaking the 2017 school record of 10:22.75 held by Maria DiBella. Sarnes was followed by Sophomore Anabel Huffstutler who went a season best of 10:27.89 for third place.
The lone women’s win on the say came from graduate student Megan Josephs who touched first in the 200-Free at 1:53.03. Josephs also took silver in the 100-Free at 52.40, with classmate Julia Moser taking silver in the 100-Breaststroke at 1:04.24; Freshmen O’Brien placed second in the 200-Back at 2:04.57.
The Iona men claimed eight of the 14 individual events on the day, with Graduate Student and defending MAAC MVP Michael Faughnan closing out his Hynes race career with wins in the 200-Free (1:38.16); 200-Back (1:48.61) and 500-Free (4:34.03). Sophomore Kieran Egan touched first in the 100-back with a career best of 48.15 and 100-Free at 44.89.
Senior Matthew Loftus took gold in the 100-Breast at 56.47; Sophomore Nick Patino won the 50-Free at 21.20, with Freshmen Joel Picard taking the 3-Meter Springboard event at 221.90-points.
The 400-yard Freestyle Relays closed out the meet in exciting style as the Fairfield women touched 2.02 seconds ahead of the Iona team of Josephs (53.22), Benkert (53.56), Mary Grace Waring (53.41) and Moser (53.23) for a final time of 3:33.42.
The Iona men jumped out to an early lead with Egan’s 45.62 leg, followed by second swimmer Nate Wales at 45.18; who handed off Liam Pyatt at 46.41 as Fairfield raced to 1.38 second lead at the 300-yard mark; however, Faughnan chased down the Fairfield anchor swimmer, Tim Regan, with a 43.60 leg to win 3:00.81 to 3:01.46.
“We were very aggressive today; but came up short” commented Coach Nick Cavataro. “Fairfield had a great meet with solid performances up and down their line-up. We were solid too, but in key spots they got to the wall first and when you back up a win with second or third points, we couldn’t close the point gap.”
Iona returns to action next Saturday as they travel to Manhattan University for a 1:00pm meet in Riverdale to close out the season.
