SOUTH ORANGE, NJ - The Iona College men's swimming and diving team fell to Seton Hall in the Gaels' 2009 season opener. The Pirates outscored Iona by the score of 139-81.

The Gaels' 200 yd medley relay of senior David Gartman, senior Matthew Magura, junior Patrick O'Reilly and sophomore Michael Sweitzer got the Gaels off to a flying start when they won the heat following a Seton Hall DQ. The squad swam a 1:46.04 in the event.

In the 1000 yd freestyle, freshman Zach Benoit took third place, finishing the event with a time of 10:19.27. Fellow rookie Chris Yacobacci finished just behind Benoit with a time of 10:24.01. Junior Michael O'Connor rounded out the Iona trio, finishing sixth with a time of 11:25.12.

In the 200 yd freestyle, Gartman took second place with a time of 1:48.39. Freshman Chris Durette was fourth with a time of 1:54.92. Freshman Michael Wu was fifth with a time of 1:55.36. Freshman Marty Callinan finished seventh with a time of 1:56.44.

In the 50 yd freestyle, senior Ed Gronkowski finished second for the Gaels, recording a time of 22.90. Junior Graham Weir was Iona's next finisher. Weir swam the heat in 23.19, finishing fourth. Sweitzer was sixth for the Gaels, finishing with a time of 24.47. Rookie Jay Wegimont was seventh with a time of 24.54.

In the 400 yard IM, Yacobacci's time of 4:21.69 now ranks fourth in school history. Magura was fifth with a time of 4:40.19.

In the 100 yd butterfly, Wu's 55.80 was good for a third place finish in the event. O'Reilly finished fifth with a time of 56.84, while Wegimont was seventh with a time of 58.70.

In the 100 yd freestyle, Gronkowski was Iona's top finisher with a time of 50.71. Weir was right behind Gronkowski in fourth with a time of 51.08. Durette was next with a time of 52.29.

In the 100 yd backstroke, Callinan took fourth for the Gaels with a time of 1:03.39. O'Connor was right behind, finishing the event in 1:03.96.

In the 500 yd freestyle, Benoit was third with a time of 5:03.41. Gartman was behind him in fourth after recording a time of 5:08.96. O'Reilly took sixth with a time of 5:19.09, while O'Connor was seventh with a time of 5:36.34.

In the 100 yd breaststroke, Yacobacci's 1:01.10 is now eighth all-time in school history and earned a much needed event win for the Gaels. Magura was just behind with a time of 1:02.06.

In the final event of the evening, the 200 yd fresstyle relay, the Iona A squad of Durette, Weir, Sweitzer and Gronkowski was first followed by the Iona B team of Callinan, Benoit, Wegimont and Wu.

Daniel Pflager's performance in the one-meter diving competition also earned him school-record status. Pflager's score of 140.10 is now the tenth best score all-time in the event.

The Gaels travel to Manhattan on Nov. 20 for their first MAAC contest of the year. Start time is scheduled for 6:30