Young Diplomats Tame Bears

Complete Results

LANCASTER, Pa. - Sophomore Olivia Hill and first-year Krista Hollingsworth were doubles winners as Franklin & Marshall handed Ursinus a 125-71 setback in Centennial Conference (CC) women's swimming on Saturday.  The Diplomats (5-2, 5-0 CC) classes of 2012 and 13 combined for the top time in eight of the nine individual races of the day, with an F&M junior accounting for the other.

After seeing her team fall behind on the scoreboard in a relay decided by .48 seconds, Hill and fellow sophomore Garland Bartlett, put the Diplomats back out in front for good with a decisive effort in the 1,650-yard freestyle. Hill clocked an 18:11.17, followed by Bartlett at 18:23.91. Emily Herman secured third place points for the Bears (8-2, 3-2 CC) 42 seconds after Hill had finished.

Hill later led a four Diplomat charge to the wall in the 500-yard freestyle. She posted a 5:19.20 in the race followed by first-years Ana Franzluebbers and Christen Dinger in second and fourth, and senior Elizabeth Barmore in third.

Hollingsworth swam the lead leg on the ill-fated 200-yard medley relay. She would have the last laugh. She touched the wall in 25.98 in the 50-yard freestyle, .02 seconds ahead of fellow first-year Diplomat, Jackie Behr.  Hollingsworth then posted a 1.43-second victory of Danielle Yentz in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:18.45,

Three first-years swept the top spots in the 200-yard freestyle. Franzluebbers secured first place points in 1:58.55, the only finish under the two-minute mark. Rice and Dinger followed her to the wall. The Diplomats swept the 200-yard individual medley as well. Sophomore Katherine DeCrosta took the race in 2:16.90, followed by junior Laura Bassford precisely two-seconds later, then first-year Courtney Gregor.

Bassford was the only non first-year or sophomore to win an individual race. She took the 200-yard fly in 2:17.81. Gregor went on to win the 100-yard free in 56.98, with Bartlett taking second. First-year Lili Shainis' 2:33.78 was the first to the wall in the 200-yard breaststroke with a 2:33.78. 

The Diplomats put the exclamation point on the win with the top time in the final race, the 200-yard free relay. Jennie Payne, Behr, Gregor and Franzluebbers swam a 1:44.63.

F&M returns to action next week against Dickinson.