COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Ursinus College women's swimming team made an early statement against a strong Centennial Conference outfit, winning all but two events on the way to a 164-98 rout of Swarthmore in Saturday's home opener.
Freshman Sophie Lear turned in a remarkable performance in her Elliott Pool debut, winning the 50 and 100 free while joining a pair of blazing relay teams as the Bears posted six times that currently rank within the top 20 in Division III. Freshman Katie Schultz and seniors Peyten Lyons and Clara Baker were also double winners for Ursinus, which won its 40th consecutive conference dual meet.
Lyons, junior Haley Sturla, Baker, and Lear kicked off the festivities with a 1:49.06 in the 200 medley relay, good for the 11th-best time in the nation.
Schultz won the 1000 free in 10:55.20 to open the individual proceedings, and sophomore Sophie May followed with a victory in the 200 free (1:59.86). Lyons was first to touch in the 100 back, finishing in 1:00.42.
Liz Staton broke up the Bears' dominance with a winning swim in the 100 breast, where Sturla was second (1:10.02).
Baker's time of 2:11.13 in the 200 fly is first in the conference by over three seconds and 18th in Division III.
Lear then went back-to-back with a pair of electrifying sprints. The rookie won the 50 free in 24.37 seconds, good for 14th in the country, and went right back in to capture the 100 free in 53.01; that time is currently fifth in all of Division III.
Lyons (2:12.17) and May (2:12.29) were neck and neck with the two fastest times in the CC in the 200 back. Sturla won the 200 breast in 2:31.14, and Schultz notched her second victory of the day with a 5:23.59 in the 500 free.
Baker touched the wall in 58.23 seconds in the 100 fly, the conference leader by over two seconds and the 15th-best mark in the nation.
Ursinus moved to 10th in Division III with a time of 1:39.42 in the 200 free relay, a unit comprised of May, Baker, freshman Liv Rachael, and Lear.
The Bears host McDaniel next Saturday.