Women's Swimming and Diving 11/21/2010 12:00:00 AM

Swimming and Diving Successfully Defends Patriot Invitational Titles

FAIRFAX, Va.--The UMBC men's and women's swimming and diving teams successfully defended their Patriot Invitational titles Sunday, breaking two school records and earning four gold medals in the process. The men, who won their fifth-straight crown, finished with 1,097 points, while the women completed the meet with 977.

Freshman Johan Rohtla broke the UMBC record in the 200-yard backstroke, finishing second in a time of 1:48.36. Junior Nour Saad earned bronze in 1:50.99, while senior Keilan Freeman finished eighth in 1:54.38.

The women's 400 free relay team of junior Ashley Miller, freshman Erika Ronning, seniorDanielle Cruz and junior Abbey McKenney broke the UMBC and Patriot Invitational meet record in a time of 3:25.99. In the men's relay, the team of Freeman, sophomores Herol Marjak and senior Eric Jones touched second in 3:04.69.

In the women's 200 fly, sophomore Tara Morrissette earned gold in a time of 2:02.80, the fifth-fastest time in school history, while Kinanti, senior Sarah Ryan and sophomore Anna Plunkett placed 2-3-4. Sophomore Jennifer Kotonias placed sixth. Kinanti's time of 2:03.89 was the seventh-fastest.

Sophomore transfer Pierre De Waal won the men's 200 fly in a time of 1:50.49, holding off senior Eric Jones, who finished second in 1:50.87. Senior Brad Reitz and sophomore Sandy Haibel placed seventh and eighth, respectively.

Junior John Mendenhall took home gold in the men's 200 breast in 2:05.86, while seniorDan Weston-Dawkes placed seventh in 2:10.30.

In the women's 1,650-yard freestyle, freshman Sarah Delvaux swam the second-fastest mile in school history, earning silver in a time of 16:57.03. Senior Rebecca Godwin took home bronze in 16:59.50, while sophomore Amy Fay, junior Pink Kinanti, sophomore Katie Powlen finished fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively.

In the men's mile, freshman Reed Neuendorf touched fifth in a time of 16:07.13, the 10^th-fastest time in UMBC history.

In the women's 100 free, junior Abbey McKenney earned silver in 50.98, while fellow juniorAshley Miller touched finished fourth in 51.64. In the men's race, Jones touched fourth in 46.41, while sophomore Steve Gallagher placed sixth in 46.62.

McKenney also placed fifth in the women's 200 back in a time of 2:03.96, the sixth-fastest time at UMBC, while freshman Klara Pavelkova was eighth in 2:07.44. In previous heats, juniors Laura Tilman and Kathryn Moorby posted the eighth- and ninth- fastest times in UMBC history.

Senior Gaby Johnston placed fifth in the women's 200 breast in a time of 2:23.59, while sophomore transfer Claire Barron touched sixth in 2:25.38.

The Retrievers return to action on Jan. 8, 2011 against Drexel and Howard in Philadelphia, Pa. at 1 p.m.

Women - Team Scores

1 UMBC SWIMMING & DIVING UMBC 977

2 UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA W UNCW 808

3 GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY GMU 543

4 GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY GTWN 417

5 SETON HALL UNIVERSITY SHU 354

6 SHIPPENSBURG UNIVERSITY OF PA SHIP 270

7 GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY GW 236

8 AMERICAN UNIVERSITY AMER 215

9 HOWARD UNIVERSITY HWRD 40