FAIRFIELD, CT - The Iona women's swimming and diving team continued MAAC play Saturday afternoon against rival Fairfield University. The Gaels blew by the Stags, picking up a 171-124 victory, and adding two new individual team records and two relay marks.
The Gaels started off the contest strong in the 200 meter relay, as the combination of seniors Maria Skeivys, Kerri-Anne Dodenhoff, Sophia Hyokyvaara, and freshman Kathryn Nevin touched first with a time of 2:04.26. The time broke the previous record of 2:05.84 set in 2010.
Three Gaels finished the night with multiple individual victories. Senior Brigitte Doughty placed first in the 800 meter freestyle, finishing with a time of 9:34.89. She also placed first in the 200 meter butterfly with a time of 2:33.79.
Freshman Natalie Bowman led the Gaels with three first place finishes. Bowman touched first in the 200 meter freestyle, coming in with a time of 2:11. She also placed first in the 100 meter freestyle, posting a time of 1.00.40. Completing the trifecta, Bowman touched first in the 50 meter freestyle, coming in with a time of 28.11
Skeivys tallied three more first place finishes of her own. Skeivys broke her previous record in the 100 meter backstroke, as she completed the event with a time of 1:08.22. In addition, Skeivys touched first in the 200 meter backstroke, breaking Brittany Freeman's 2010 record of 2:29.70. She finished her individual competition on top, completing the 200 meter IM with a time of 2:28.56.
Sophomore Mary Ellen Mangione outswam the competition in the 400 meter freestyle, finishing first with a time of 4:38.99. Mangione also placed second in the 200 meter IM, completing the event in 2:28.90. She touched third in the 100 meter breastroke, posting a time of 1:17.65.
Sophomore Melissa Dorsch tallied one second place finish and two third place finishes. Dorsch touched second in the 50 meter freestyle with a time of 28.28. She came in third in the 200 meter freestylewith a time of 2:18.12, as well as in the 100 meter freestyle, finishing with a time of 1:03.03.
Also for the Gaels, sophomore Leigh Musselman placed second in the 100 meter backstroke with a time of 1:09.46. Dodenhoff (1:17.37) and Nevin (1:19.14) placed second and fourth respectively in the 100 meter breaststroke. Nevin also placed second in the 100 meter freestyle, posting a time of 1:02.49.
Musselman placed second in the 200 meter backstroke with a time of 2:30.83. Hyokyvaara finished second in the 200 meter breaststroke in 2:47.92.
Freshman Maria Lopez touched first in the 100 meter butterfly event. Her time of 1:08.77 broke Iona's record of 1:08.77, previously held by Erin Crane ('06). Doughty trailed just behind in second place, coming in with a time of 1:09.32.
Sophomore Alicia Raffle placed third in the three meter diving event, tallying 156.35 points.
Iona finished the evening the same way they started, breaking another record in the 200 meter freestyle relay. The squad of Nevin, Bowman, Dorsch, and Dodenhoff posted a time of 1:52.16, shattering the time of 2:01.01, previously recorded in 2004. The Gaels also placed second with a time of 1:54.41 led by Musselman, Doughty, Lopez and Mangione.
The MAAC Championships are next for the Gaels, as they will head up to Buffalo, NY to swim against the best of the conference beginning Feb. 13.