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Women's Swimming

Women's Swimming Enjoys Record-Breaking Opener

COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – Two new pool records and a scintillating debut from its class of newcomers highlighted the Ursinus College women's swimming team's 134-66 rout of Dickinson in Saturday's season opener.

Freshman Rebecca Warren and senior Sydney Gundersen were double winners for the Bears, who saw three rookies pick up individual victories as the program's winning streaks reached 49 (overall) and 32 (Centennial Conference). Senior Meggie Leitz broke her own Elliott Pool record in the 200 fly, and the 400 medley relay team set a new standard in the first race of the new campaign.

The Bears went 1-2-3 in five different races.

The 2017-18 season could hardly have begun better for Ursinus. Junior Peyten Lyons, senior Olivia Tierney, junior Clara Baker, and senior Sydney Gundersen touched the wall in just 3:59.97 to eclipse the previous pool record set two years ago. Freshman Sophie May, sophomore Haley Sturla, senior Katherine Porter, and Leitz were second in 4:06.11.

Warren collected the first of her two distance freestyle victories with an 11:10.09 in the 1000 free, topping the rest of the field by more than 16 seconds.

Gundersen captured first in the 200 free with a 1:58.16, well clear of sophomore Margrethe Leis in second (2:03.17) and Sturla in third (2:03.65).

Baker claimed first in the 50 free at 24.96, with freshman Katherine Kurzinsky the runner-up in 25.67.

First-year Katelyn Moore picked up her first collegiate victory in the 200 IM, narrowly edging Tierney by just .15 seconds with a mark of 2:17.14. Junior Caroline Powell was third in 2:22.70.

Leitz followed with another historic performance in the 200 fly, lowering her own pool record to 2:08.52 with a thrilling swim that left her nearly four seconds abreast of junior Gabriella Timuscuk (2:12.27).

Gundersen made it a double for the day with a 54.70 in the 100 free, where rookie Allison Thomas was runner-up at 57.33.

May, who also sang the national anthem before the meet, won the 200 back in 2:11.05, with Lyons in second at 2:12.15.

Warren completed her own distance double in the 500 free, where her 5:27.30 was just .64 seconds faster than Dickinson's Demetria Ruhl.

Tierney took the 200 breast in 2:29.10; Sturla was second at 2:32.84, and Moore third at 2:33.15.

The women's swimming team heads to York (Pa.) for a tri-meet on Saturday, November 4.

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Players Mentioned

Clara Baker

Clara Baker

Fly
5' 8"
Junior
Sydney Gundersen

Sydney Gundersen

Free
5' 7"
Senior
Katherine Kurzinsky

Katherine Kurzinsky

Free/Back
5' 8"
First-Year
Margrethe Leis

Margrethe Leis

Free
5' 5"
Sophomore
Meggie Leitz

Meggie Leitz

Fly/Back
5' 5"
Senior
Peyten Lyons

Peyten Lyons

Back/IM
5' 7"
Junior
Katherine Porter

Katherine Porter

Fly
5' 5"
Senior
Caroline Powell

Caroline Powell

Breast/IM
5' 6"
Junior
Haley Sturla

Haley Sturla

Breast
5' 7"
Sophomore
Olivia Tierney

Olivia Tierney

Breast/IM
5' 4"
Senior
Gabriella Timuscuk

Gabriella Timuscuk

Fly/Breast
5' 3"
Junior
Rebecca Warren

Rebecca Warren

Distance
5' 8"
First-Year

Players Mentioned

Clara Baker

Clara Baker

5' 8"
Junior
Fly
Sydney Gundersen

Sydney Gundersen

5' 7"
Senior
Free
Katherine Kurzinsky

Katherine Kurzinsky

5' 8"
First-Year
Free/Back
Margrethe Leis

Margrethe Leis

5' 5"
Sophomore
Free
Meggie Leitz

Meggie Leitz

5' 5"
Senior
Fly/Back
Peyten Lyons

Peyten Lyons

5' 7"
Junior
Back/IM
Katherine Porter

Katherine Porter

5' 5"
Senior
Fly
Caroline Powell

Caroline Powell

5' 6"
Junior
Breast/IM
Haley Sturla

Haley Sturla

5' 7"
Sophomore
Breast
Olivia Tierney

Olivia Tierney

5' 4"
Senior
Breast/IM
Gabriella Timuscuk

Gabriella Timuscuk

5' 3"
Junior
Fly/Breast
Rebecca Warren

Rebecca Warren

5' 8"
First-Year
Distance