Women's Swimming and Diving | October 10, 2015

Full Results

PHILADELPHIA- The La Salle women's swimming and diving team kicked off its season on Saturday afternoon in Kirk Pool as they fell 181-116 to James Madison.
 
Sophomore Emma Smith led the team by winning both the 1000-yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle events. All said the Explorers won six events during the opening meet of the season against the Dukes who finished second in the Colonial Athletic Association last season.
 
Smith, a Nepean Ontario native, won the 1000-yard freestyle by over 10 seconds as she post a 10:29.55 time in the event. Senior Hayley Miles (11:01.07) and freshman Siobhan McDonough (11:54.76) also raced finishing in fourth and fifth respectively.
 
 "It was a great start to the season against some tough competition and I was very pleased how our women responded," said head coach Jamie Platt. "Our women's team is a fun group who showed lots of heart. It is going to be a great year."
 
The sophomore returned to win the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:06.31, besting the nearest competitor by 1.57 seconds. Junior Eva Oesterhaus (5:18.02) and Miles (5:29.76) also swam in the event finishing in fourth and sixth respectively.
 
Osterhaus also raced in the 200-yard butterfly where she won the even thanks to a time of 2:09.26. Freshman Mary Harrington (2:15.76) and junior Julia Mann (2:19.77) also competed finishing in fifth and sixth respectively.
 
Junior Kate Hay and sophomore Hannah Elliott both made the podium in the 200-yard freestyle thanks to second and third place finishes. Hay swam a 1:59.22 and Elliott was close behind with a 1:59.82. Freshman Shannon Battis also swam finishing in sixth with a time of 2:05.64.
 
Sophomore Maddy Koelsch finished in second place in the 50-yard breaststroke with a time of 32.21. Smith (33.19) and sophomore Danielle Thomas (33.73) also competed for La Salle.
 
The relay team of freshman Olivia DiStefano, Hay, sophomore Rory Kearns and junior Tanawan Sukonthapanich finished with the top time in the 200-yard freestyle relay to close out the meet. The team swam a 1:39.35.  
 
La Salle wore pink swim caps during the meet for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.