Columbia Sweeps Bucknell

Bucknell Women

Allison FitzPatrick (Berwyn, Pa./Episcopal Academy) swept the diving events, but Columbia outscored Bucknell 33-22 over the final three swimming events as the Bison lost to the Lions 129-114 Sunday afternoon at Kinney Natatorium. Molly Goebel (New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan), Lauren Russell (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell) and Abigail Atkinson (Newtown, Conn./Newtown) posted swimming victories for the Bison, who fell to 6-3 on the season.
 
FitzPatrick, a senior, and classmate Rebecca Bersani (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) shined on the diving boards, finishing 1-2 off both on Senior Day. FitzPatrick won the one-meter event for the second time in three meets with a score of 232.28, her second-highest mark of the year. Bersani posted a 218.03, her third-best score of the 2009-10 campaign. FitzPatrick registered a season-best 256.50 off the three-meter board, while Bersani came in second with a 212.78. FitzPatrick now has six wins from the three-meter height this year, including three in the last nine days.
 
Goebel continued her season-long success in the 50-yard freestyle, winning the event in 24.42 seconds. It was her sixth victory in the event this year, and she has not placed lower than second all season. She was the lone Bison in the top-four in the race and later claimed second in the 100 free.
 
Russell also had a pair of top-two showings Sunday in her last home meet. She won the 200 individual medley in 2:09.38 and took second to classmate Atkinson in the 200 back by just .26 seconds.
 
Atkinson won the 200 back for the second consecutive day after claiming the event Saturday in a team win at Army. Her time Sunday was .67 seconds faster than her Saturday time and it marked her fifth victory in the race this season. Atkinson also took second in the 200 free and helped the 200 free relay squad (Atkinson, Elizabeth Porcellio, Courtney Warren, Goebel) to a victory.
 
Other highlights for the Bison included a season-best time (10:31.93) in the 500 free by Jamie Chakany (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) and a 3-4-5 finish in the 500 free by Anna Griest (Atlanta, Ga./The Westminster School), Megan Mongan (Malvern, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) and Chakany.
 
Prior to the meet Bucknell’s nine seniors were recognized as part of Senior Day festivities. Atkinson, Bersani, FitzPatrick, Eliza Massie, Mongan, Abigail Paules, Russell, Caroline Walsh and Warren were the nine seniors celebrating their final home meet.
 
While the home portion of the schedule is complete, the Bison still have one more dual meet in the regular season. They will travel to Lehigh this Saturday, Jan. 23, for a 1 p.m. meet.

Bucknell Men

One day after dropping a 178-117 decision to Patriot League rival Army, the Bucknell men’s swimming and diving team lost a 158-83 Senior Day meet at Kinney Natatorium to Columbia Sunday afternoon. Gonzalo DeLeon (Ringwood, N.J./Lakeland Regional) and Matthew Segar (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) provided the lone wins for the Bison, who fell to 4-4 on the season.
 
DeLeon’s victory came in the 200-yard backstroke, where he swam a time of 1 minute, 54.15 seconds. Close behind was teammate Daniel Fletcher (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove), who posted a pair of second-place finishes and was part of the 400 medley relay squad that also took second in 3:30.25, its second-best mark of the campaign.
 
Segar’s win came in the 200 freestyle. It was his third consecutive win in the event and it marked his fifth victory in the discipline this year. His time of 1:43.40 was .80 ahead of teammate Christian Treat (Evergreen, Colo./Clear Creek), who came in second. Treat also finished second in the 100 free (47.27) and was part of the 200 free relay team that placed second to cap the meet.
 
In addition to his win in the 200 free, Segar placed third in the 200 butterfly, crossing the line .11 ahead of teammate and fourth-place finisher Billy Krause (Huntington Bay, N.Y./Saint Anthony’s).
 
Jonathan Podniesinski (Melville, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills East) also had a solid meet, finishing second in the 1,000 free and 500 free. His time of 9:47.24 was a season best, 1.28 seconds ahead of his runner-up time Saturday at Army.
 
In the diving events, freshman David Magaro (Enola, Pa./East Pennsboro Area) posted solid scores of 248.70 (one-meter) and 260.03 (three-meter), but placed second off both boards.
 
Prior to the non-league meet, seven men’s Bison seniors were honored as part of Senior Day festivities: Ben Bible, Brett Carey, Fletcher, Spencer Hallowell, David Iselin, Ben Leboza and Luke Trafton.
 
Bucknell’s home season is now complete, but the Bison will travel to Lehigh on Saturday, Jan. 23, for their last dual meet of the campaign. The meet is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. in Bethlehem, Pa.