Vermont Press Release
BURLINGTON, Vt. - The Vermont swimming & diving team clinched a narrow 155-145 victory over Rhode Island on the final event of Senior Day, winning the 400 free relay for a dramatic finish at Forbush Natatorium on Saturday afternoon.
Prior to the meet, the Catamounts honored their senior class of Carleigh Abromovitz, Molly Condron, Courtney Gray, Abby Holmquist, Sarah Mantz, Ali McClure, and Lauren Punger. UVM improved to 6-1 heading into the America East Championships in three weeks.
Mantz, Kelly Lennon, Kira Hancock, and Sierra Sexton won the 400 free relay with a time of 3:31.79, touching the wall nearly three seconds ahead of URI for the vital points.
Mantz won three individual freestyle events on Saturday as she swept the top two in the 100 free with Lennon in 52.47 and 53.52. UVM took the top two spots in the 200 free, led by Mantz in 1:50.90 with Sophia Smith placing second in 1:53.01. Mantz also won the 50 free in 24.57 seconds, followed by Fiona Vashaw (25.04) in third and Sexton (25.08) in fourth.
Gray, Shannon Cowley, Dani Rocheleau, and Sexton opened the meet by narrowly winning the 200 medley relay for the Catamounts with a time of 1:48.22.
Lennon followed by claiming the 1000 freestyle by six seconds with a final time of 8:36.10, followed by teammate Kristina Posnick in 8:42.11. Lennon also won the 500 free by more than three seconds with a time of 5:12.79.
Haley Gula was the top UVM finisher in the 200 breast with second place in a time of 2:27.50, while Alexy Novelli placed second overall in the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:10.79. Gray took second in the 100 fly in 59.50 with Julia DeGregorio in third with a time of 59.80.
Chandler Brandes finished second in the 200 IM with a time of 2:14.58, while Posnick (2:15.33) and Cowley (2:15.41) followed in third and fourth place.
Hancock (59.32) finished third in the 100 backstroke, Morgan Montgomery (2:09.79) earned third in the 100 back, and Cowley (1:07.72) was third in the 100 breaststroke for Vermont.
Rhode Island had the edge in diving competition, winning both the 1-meter and 3-meter events. Kelsey Olsen took third in the 1-meter with 212.10 points, while Ashley Branagan placed third in the 3-meter dive with a total of 180.29.
