Led by a big day from its divers, the University of Vermont swimming and diving team picked up a pair of victories on the road on Saturday afternoon. The Catamounts defeated the host Rhode Island 167-130 and also topped Bryant, 256-41. Vermont improves to 10-6 on the year with the two wins and snaps a two-meet slide in the process.
"After a weak first half of the meet, our ladies stepped it up and were able to pull it together and have an outstanding meet," said Vermont head coach Gerry Cournoyer. "The divers were a key component in today's win, they really dominated."
Vermont went 1-2-3 in the one-meter dive led by freshman Susannah Gruner (Kingston, N.Y.) who won the event with a score of 216.14. She was followed by teammates Lauren Colby (Andover, Mass.) and freshman Melissa Wheeler (Roanoke, Va.). In the three-meter dive Colby took the top spot with a score of 217.87 and was followed by Gruner in second.
Junior Kate Weaver (South Burlington, Vt.) picked up a pair of wins against both squads on the day, as she won the 100 (59.87) and 200 (2:08.06) backstroke events. Also earning a pair of victories for the Cats was sophomore Avery Pittman (Raleigh, N.C.) took the top spot in the 100 (59.38) and 200 (2:10.26) butterfly. Weaver placed second in the 100.
Freshman Kailey Gardner (Ithaca, N.Y.) won the 1,000 freestyle in a time of 10:41.77 and was followed by sophomore Katie Heenan (Clarendon Hills, Ill.) in second. The Cats went 1-2-3 in the 500 free with senior Molly MacMillan (Doylestown, Pa.) earning the top spot, while Gardner and Heenan came in second and third.
The Catamounts will return to action on February 5-6 when part of the team travels to take part in the Middlebury Invitational. The action gets underway on Friday night starting at 5 p.m. and will then continue on Saturday at 10 a.m.
