KINGSTON, RI (January 12, 2004) - The La Salle women's swimming team had four first-place finishes which helped them place second behind Dartmouth at the Rhode Island Invitational Sunday, while the men were third in the two-day event.

Freshman Jamie Polek was the only double-winner for the women, grabbing firsts in the 1000 Free (10:44.77) and the 200 Free (1:58.37). She also swam in the 500 Free, taking second in a time of 5:14.24. The women amassed 432 points to finish second behind Dartmouth (529), but ahead of both Rhode Island (412.50) and Massachusetts (384.5).

Another victor was junior Kit Watkins, who won the 1-meter diving event with 214.30 points, and she also finsihed second in the 3-meter diving event with 216.90 points. The relay team of senior Cecile Van Oppen, junior Jessica Phillips, senior Colleen Slowey, and junior Courtney Lofgren won the 200-yard Medley race in a time of 1:53.63.

Those four also picked up crucial points in individual events, which helped the Explorers to the second-place finish. Lofgren had a second (100 Free, 55.47) and two thirds (50 Free, 25.61; 200 Free, 1:58.56), Van Oppen had a second in the 100 Back (1:02.68), and Phillips and Slowey each had a third-place finish (200 Breast, 2:28.81 and 100 Fly, 1:00.73; respectively).

Other strong performences were turned on the women's side by the 400-yard Freestyle Relay team (4th, 3:46.25), the 400-yard Medley Relay Team (3rd, 4:07.95), freshman Ashley Young in the 1000 Free (3rd, 10:59.04) and classmate Mallory Kessler. She had two third-place finishes (200 IM, 2:13.71; 200 Back, 2:10.86) and a fourth-place finish in the 400 IM (4:49.30).

There were no winners on the men's side, but senior Eric Limbach and freshman Sean Connors-McBride each collected a few seconds, helping the men take third. Limbach was second in the 200 Free (1:44.98) and swam the first leg of the 400 Freestyle Relay, consisting of Connors-McBride, junior Rob Queroli, and freshman Mike Ellerson, which also was second. He also picked up a third in the 200 Fly (1:56.89) and a fourth in the 100 Free (48.14).

Connors-McBride had two other seconds to go along with the relay, in the 200 Fly (1:56.32) and the 500 Free (4:42.06). He also picked up a fourth in the 200 Free (1:47.76).

Among the third-place finishers were the 200 Freestyle Relay team (1:29.42), freshman Karo Isajon, in the 1-meter diving event (225.80 points), and sophomore Emir Hubijar, in the 500 Free (4:45.22). He also had a fourth-place finish in the 1000 Free (9:55.56).

Both swimming teams will travel to Drexel Saturday, January 17, to face the Dragons at 2 PM.