COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Ursinus College women's swimming team sent its senior class out on a high note Saturday, rolling to a 175.5-86.5 rout of visiting Franklin & Marshall in the final meet at Elliott Pool this season.
After honoring Allison Emick, Marisa Ferrari, Alexandra Hemp, and Catherine Wilson as part of Senior Day, the Bears went out and won all but two events in a comprehensive blowout. Junior Sydney Gundersen and sophomore Peyten Lyons each had a hand in four victories for the Bears (7-0, 5-0), who easily remained unbeaten and extended their CC winning streak to 29. Junior Olivia Tierney and sophomore Clara Baker each produced three wins.
Junior Meggie Leitz provided a historic highlight in the 200 fly, clocking a 2:10.30 to break a pool record that had stood since 1990.
Lyons and Gundersen bookended the winning 200 medley relay team for Ursinus, joining forces with Tierney and Baker to post a time of 1:50.84.
Gundersen's lone individual triumph came in the 200 free, where her mark of 1:58.72 was well ahead of freshman teammate Margrethe Leis in second.
The first of three personal wins followed for Lyons, who captured the 100 back in 1:00.75. The sophomore also claimed first place in the 200 back (2:12.60) and the 200 IM (2:16.92).
Tierney won both the 100 breast (1:09.79) and 200 breast (2:31.44) for the Bears. Freshman Haley Sturla placed second in the 200 breast in addition to the 1000 free, where her clocking of 11:10.58 was more than 2.50 seconds better than her previous low time of the season.
Leitz's record swim was almost five seconds ahead of junior teammate Katherine Porter in second.
Hemp took third in the 50 free, with freshman Grace Emig in second and Baker in fourth.
Gundersen cruised in the 100 free, touching the wall more than a second in front of Leitz and F&M's Kathy Hirsch with a time of 55.12. Lyons was dominant in the 200 back, her clocking of 2:12.60 more than two full seconds abreast of the Diplomats' Anna Hess.
Tierney outpaced Sturla in the 200 breast with a mark of 2:31.44 and Leis was a winner in the 500 free, just edging F&M's Caroline Fry with a 5:24.70.
Baker won the 100 fly in 59.72, with sophomore Gabriella Timuscuk and Hemp occupying the next two spots in the order. Lyons capped the individual races with her victory in the 200 IM, where Tierney was second.
The Bears closed the day with a win in the 400 free relay, as Leitz, Leis, Gundersen, and Baker posted a time of 3:45.38.
Fry accounted for the lone Diplomat win, taking first in the 1000 free (11:01.07).
The women's swimming team heads to Washington College next Saturday, January 28.
