WEST POINT, NY – The Iona College swimming and diving team traveled to the United States Military Academy Friday to take on Army and Columbia on the men’s side of the ledger and Army on the women’s side. It was the first appearance for the Gaels at the Crandall Pool in Arvin Gym since the 1988 MAAC Championship Meet, when USMA was a member institution.
The Army women posted a 199-88 victory over Iona. In the men’s meets, Columbia and Army men battled to the last race, leaving the Iona behind a 253-45 score in the men’s meet vs. the Black Knights and on the down side of a 248-46 score against Columbia University. Columbia ended up defeating Army in the last race, 157-143.
“This was the first time we faced these teams in a dual meet in Iona history, and clearly the outcome was not what we anticipated,” commented head coach Nick Cavataro. “However, our men and women got a preview of the level of competition we have to be prepared for if we want to step into the next tier of Eastern swimming, so we get back to training Monday and move froward.”
In individual action on the women’s side freshmen Kaitlyn Mahon and Elizabeth Kaczmarek were 3-4 in the 1000-Free; Leigh Musselman, was fifth in the 200-Free. Laura Mongillo, Maria Lopez and Natalie Bowman went 3-4-5 in the 100-Backstroke as Maryellen Mangione was fourth in the 100-Breastroke. Alexandra DiBiase was fifth in the 200-Butterfly as Bowman took fifth in the 50-Free and third in the 100-Free with Kaczmarek fourth in the 100-Free.
Mongillo took fourth in the 200-Back with Mangione third in the 200-Breast . Kaczmarek and Mahon took third and fifth respectively in the 500-Free as DiBase was fifth in the 100-Butterfly. Brittney Liddy and Alicia Raffle took 3-4 on the 1-Meter Springboard.
Mangione, Kendall Magill and Alexa Caravella, took the top three point spots in the 200-Individual Medley and Kaczmarek, Bowman combined with Melissa Dorsch and Kathryn Nevin for first in the 400-Free relay.
The men’s side highlights included Charles Blaschinski taking fifth and six respectively on the thee and one-meter springboards; the 400-Free relay team of Zack Holbrook, Keegan Boisson-Yates, Collin Purrman and Christina Foti too sixth and the 200-Medley relay quartet of Boisson-Yates, Sam Braziel, Liam Oberlander and Tommy Keefe placed seventh.
The Iona men and women return to action next Saturday at the Hynes Pool where they face MAAC rival Manhattan, with first race at 1:00pm.