YORK, Pa. – The York College women's swimming team opened the 2015-16 season with a convincing 137-68 non-conference victory over Elizabethtown College on Wednesday night at the York College Natatorium.
Elizabethtown (0-1) took an early lead by winning the 200 medley relay in the first event of the evening, but York (1-0) claimed 1st place finishes in the next two events to swiftly take control of the meet.
Sophomore Brianna Blackwell (Chandler, Ariz. / Hamilton) placed first in the 1000 free with senior captain teammate Madison Tonkay (Landisville, Pa. / Hempfield) placing second with a time of 12:17.61.
Freshman Andrea Sturgis (Severn, Md. / Archbishop Spalding) earned her first collegiate victory as she placed first in the 200 free with a winning time of 2:04.62.
The Spartans picked up big points in the 50 free as Taylor Witte (University Park, Md. / St. John's College) placed second, Reilly Kobus (York, Pa. / Northeastern) took third and Taylor Michielini (Montvale, N.J. / Pascack Hills) came in fourth.
Sophomore Kacey Banks (Silver Spring, Md. / Spencerville Adventist Academy) pushed to a first place victory in the 200 IM with a time of 2:31.00 as she touched wall .72 seconds ahead of the second place finisher.
Sophomore Kate McConaghy (Phoenixville, Pa. / Owen J. Roberts) also tasted victory on opening night as she placed first in the 100 fly with a time of 1:04.17
The Spartans swept the top three spots in the 100 free with Witte placing first with a winning time of 57.66. Surgis placed second with a time of 57.82 and Danielle Werner (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Hampton) came in third with a time of 59.45.
Freshman Julia Bogdanski (South Setauket, N.Y. / Ward Meville) claimed her first victory with the Green and White as she placed first in the 100 backstroke with a winning time of 1:05.54. Sara Zalkind (Downingtown, Pa. / Dowingtown West) took second in the event with a time of 1:07.57.
Freshman Maddy Mann (Baltimore, Md. / Eastern Technical) looked strong in her first collegiate meet as she won the 500 free and finished two seconds off the school record mark with a time of 5:16.96. Blackwell took second with a time 5:50.86.
The Spartans took four of the top five spots in the 100 breastroke as Chloe Fealtman (Carlisle, Pa. / Big Spring) led the group with a second place finish at a time of 1:15.75. Samantha Hay (Bangor, Pa. / Bangor) placed third, Carly Jablonski (Reading, Pa. / Berks Catholic) took fourth and Mackenzie Donahue (Indiana, Pa. / Indiana) placed fifth.
The Spartans also took home the victory in the 200 free relay. The winning team of Witte, Werner, Sturgis and Mann touched the wall with a winning time of 1:44.87, nearly surpassing the school record mark of 1:41.86.
The Spartans take to the pool next on Saturday when they travel to Salisbury to open their Capital Athletic Conference schedule with a 1:00 p.m. meet.
Kacey Banks photo courtesy of David Sinclair
