Bryant at Iona
- New Rochelle, N.Y.
- Men: Bryant 168-126; Women: Bryant 161-139
- Oct. 27, 2018
Courtesy: Bryant Athletics
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Powered by 10 season-best swims and a great effort from the divers, the Bryant University men’s swimming and diving team took down Iona on Saturday afternoon by a 168-126 final in New Rochelle, N.Y.
Coach Cameron’s Comments
“Our team was very resilient today in fighting to the end of the meet. We had a few tough breaks but we also showed a lot of progress in the details we have been working on and showed a lot of heart in the process.”
Key Moment
After a pretty even start, the Bulldogs won four straight events from the 100 breast through the men’s 1-meter to gain their distance and keep Iona at bay through the rest of the afternoon.
How the Swimmers Fared
- Graduate student Micah Ornelas (San Diego, Calif.) broke the school’s 100 fly record, swimming the race in 48.49 seconds. This was part of a four win afternoon as he added individual victories in the 200 fly (1:51.51) and 200 individual medley (1:52.54).
- Senior Tavish Boyle (Springfield, N.J.) and sophomore Matthew Mays (St. Croix, Virgin Islands) added a pair of individual victories each. Boyle won the 100 breast (59.09) and 200 breast (2:09.61), while Mays touched first in the 100 back (51.67) and 200 back (1:50.52).
- Senior Matt Zichelli (Glen Ridge, N.J.) won the 50 free (21.81) and junior Robert Davis (Glastonbury, Conn.) added a win in the 500 free (4:46.62) to round out Bryant’s individual victories.
- Mays, Boyle, Ornelas and Zichelli combined for the team’s 200 medley relay (1:32.93) victory to open the meet.
Coach LoCurto’s Comments
“While we had a lot of bright spots, we still have work to do to meet or exceed last year’s performance at this time. There was a lot of very positive improvements in mechanics that will lead to even stronger results as the season progresses.”
How the Divers Fared
- Sophomore Trevor Hazlewood (Corpus Christi, Texas) and junior Zach Vogel (South Easton, Mass.) scored on both boards for the Bulldogs.
- Hazlewood won both the 1-meter (224.60) and 3-meter (269.55), while Vogel placed second in the 1-meter (222.15) and third in the 3-meter (239.95).
- Senior Kevin Sullivan (East Lyme, Conn.) earned second-place honors in the 3-meter (252.75).
- Freshman Evan Clark (Doylestown, Pa.) earned third place in the 1-meter (220.05).
Stats and Notes
- The old school record in the 100 fly was held by Benon Boyadjian, who swam the race in 48.70 seconds.
- Davis’ 500 and 1000 free (9:50.42) times were both season bests.
- Along with Zichelli’s 50 free, his third-place swim in the 100 free (48.21) was his best in 2018.
- Both Mays’ and Boyle’s wins in the backstroke and breaststroke, respectively, consisted of season-best swims.
- Bryant’s 200 medley and 400 free relay (3:10.41) were top marks in 2018.
Up Next
Bryant has their first home meet of 2018 when they face NJIT on Friday and Saturday at the Chace Athletic Center Pool.
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Junior Alaina Scifo (Ipswich, Great Britain) and sophomores Elin Svard (Falun, Dalarna, Sweden) and Heather Wong (Ramsey, N.J.) each won two events and the Bryant University women’s swimming and diving team fended off Iona 161-139 on Saturday afternoon in New Rochelle, N.Y.
Coach Cameron’s Comments
“Our team was very resilient today in fighting to the end of the meet. We had a few tough breaks but we also showed a lot of progress in the details we have been working on and showed a lot of heart in the process.”
Key Moment
Bryant was able to capitalize on a good diving start in Fairfield, Conn. winning the 200 free, 100 back and 100 breast in sequential order to open up their advantage over the Gaels.
How the Swimmers Fared
- Scifo’s two wins came in season-best efforts, winning the 200 free (1:55.04) and 200 back (2:06.69) for the Bulldogs.
- Svard came alive late for the Black and Gold to take home the 100 fly (59.14) and 200 individual medley (2:12.16).
- Wong swept the breaststroke events, winning the 100 breast (1:08.48) and 200 breast (2:27.04).
- Sophomore Alexa Rivera (Boynton Beach, Fla.) won the 100 back (59.56).
- Senior Jillian Rice (Trumbull, Conn.) added a win in the 100 free (53.25).
- The combination of Scifo, Wong, Svard and Rice won the team one of the two relays, taking home first in the 200 medley relay (1:47.92).
Coach LoCurto’s Comments
“While we had a lot of bright spots, we still have work to do to meet or exceed last year’s performance at this time. There was a lot of very positive improvements in mechanics that will lead to even stronger results as the season progresses.”
How the Divers Fared
- Senior Kelci Abernethy (Chandler, Ariz.) finished first in the 3-meter (254.75) and second in the 1-meter (227.85) to lead Bryant’s divers in the scoring department.
- Classmate Ann Burdick (Glenmont, N.Y.) also scored on both boards, placing first in the 1-meter (234.60) and third in the 3-meter (209.05).
- Another senior, Carissa Stemen (Naples, Fla.) also scored for the Bulldogs, finishing second in the 3-meter (219.65).
- A fourth senior, Stephanie Jennings (Elmont, N.Y.) finished third in the 1-meter (215.00) to round out the scoring for the Bulldogs.
Stats and Notes
- Freshman Claire Russell (Naperville, Ill.) swam a season-best time in the 1000 free (11:01.56).
- Rivera’s win in the 100 back was in season-best fashion.
- Sophomore Alexandra Heim (Middletown, N.J.) swam the 200 free (2:04.05), her quickest in 2018-19.
Up Next
Northeast Conference favorites collide in the pool next weekend when Bryant welcomes Wagner and Central Connecticut for a two-day meet that starts Friday night and continues Saturday afternoon at the Chace Athletic Center Pool.
Courtesy: Iona Athletics
NEW ROCHELLE, NY – In one of the most spirited meets of the young season, the Iona College Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Teams dropped both ends of the dual meet to the visiting Bryant Bulldogs at the Hynes Pool.
The Iona women fell 161-139 for it’s second loss of the season and now stand at 4-2. The Iona men dropped a 168-126 meet for it’s first loss of the season and currently stand at 3-1.
The Iona women outscored Bryant in the pool 139-123, but were swept in the diving events. The Iona men closed the gap on Bryant but were outscored in the pool 136-126.
“Bryant has some excellent quality on both the men’s and women’s roster and we clearly need to address our lack of divers, which has been a challenge for us,” head coach Nick Cavataro spoke after the meet. “However, our swimmers never backed away from a challenge and were aggressive in every length today and all 28 races today. Taking the last two relays of the day in the Women’s and Men’s 400-yard Freestyle Relays was an exceptional effort.”
The last leg of the women’s relay can be viewed HERE and the last leg of the men’s relay HERE with sophomore MAAC swimmer of the week Willow Lopez-Silvers and classmate Spencer Martin anchoring.
Individually, the Gaels had four winners on the women’s side. The sophomore class posted three of the four with wins from Adrienne Bilello in the 1000-Free at 10:51.94; Kate Flynn in the 50-Free at 24.51; Gabriella Kuehhas in the 500-Free at 5:16.49. Freshmen Kaylin McMahon won the 200-Butterfly at 2:11.76.
The men saw Moran take the 100-Free at 47.72; freshmen Daniel Hadary win the 200-Free at 1:44.68 with junior Matthew Anderson winning the 1000-Free at 9:47.35.
The Gaels conclude their home-stand on Friday as they host the Providence Friars beginning at 5:00 PM.
