NEW BRITAIN, CT – Four Siena swimmers entered or moved up on the program's All-Time Top-10 Performers list Friday, as Siena Swimming and Diving began weekend competition at the Blue Devil Invite, hosted by Central Connecticut State at the Jack Suydam Natatorium in New Britain, Connecticut.
The Saints entered the regional competition facing off against the Blue Devils, as well as Stony Brook, Sacred Heart, and Saint Francis (PA). The host team leads the meet after six scored events (198), while the Saints sit fourth with 136 points.
The Green and Gold carved out eight best times during the preliminary round in the morning session, with junior Rory Kalac placing first in the 50 free with a best time of 24.30 that improved upon her third-place ranking in the program record books in the event. Senior Abigail Sheridan swam a mark of 2:12.97 in the 200 IM to enter the All-Time Top-10 Performers list at tenth in that event. Freshman Kylie Carter registered collegiate bests in both the 500 free (5:15.90), and 50 free (25.46) during the preliminary portion of the meet.
The Saints took the pool with plenty left in the tank during the evening session, with the night beginning on a Siena victory. The 200 free relay group of sophomore Demi Bobarakis, freshman Shaylea Triller, junior Elisabeth Balicanta, and Kalac took first in the event with a time of 1:38.22, just three seconds off the school record.
Freshman Maddie Buck built upon a best time during the preliminary round of the 500 free by entering the Top-10 All-Time Performer's List at 10th during the finals with a time of 5:15.59. Junior Reilly King also improved upon her morning time to place fifth in the event as the leading finisher in Green and Gold. Sophomore Natalie Colaizzo also went low in the 500 with a time of 5:42.24. Sophomore Emily Sulik registered a pair of collegiate bests in the 200 IM, going for a 2:14.53 in the final round, while sophomore Audrey Shultz swam a 2:17.29 for a best time in the event.
The event that brought the most best times on the day for the Saints was overwhelmingly the 50 free, with 11 Siena swimmers registering a collegiate best in the event. Kalac took second in the final round of the event, while Triller (25.12) and Balicanta (25.18) built upon already-impressive best marks in the finals. Others who went for a collegiate best in the 50 included Bobarakis (25.00), junior Ellie Murphy (25.58), junior Lauren Ostrander (25.62), Buck (25.95), freshman Francesca Coppola (25.91), Colaizzo (26.27), and junior Sydney Murinka (27.27).
Siena ended the first night of competition with teams placing seventh and eighth in the 400 medley relay. Senior Isabel Harms led off her relay group with a backstroke split of 59.22, moving her from seventh to sixth on the program's All-Time Top-10 Performers list for the 100 back.
Siena is back in action at the Blue Devil Invite on Saturday, December 4, with preliminary races set for 11 AM and finals at 6 PM.
