NORTH DARMOUTH, MASS. 2/21/09 - Keene State College maintained its lead after the second day of competition at the Women's New England Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association (NEISDA) Championships taking place at the Tripp Athletic Center Pool on the Campus of UMass-Dartmouth.

            The defending championship Owls hold a 649-563 lead over Bentley College after the completion of 17 events.

            "It's a comfortable lead, but I still think its going to be a dogfight the rest of the way, "said KSC Coach Jack Fabian about the meet that concludes on Sunday.

            Keene State hand another big day in the Pool on Saturday, winning five races in school record time, setting two pool and one meet mark, and posting NCAA championship qualifying times in four races.

            The Owls began the day by setting a school and pool record in the 200-yard medley relay. The team of juniors Kristine Trutor (Holden, Mass.) and Alea Paddock (Newbury, N.H.) and freshmen Maureen O'Leary (Nashua, N.H.) and Jillian Whitaker (Gilford, N.H.) clocked a NCAA provisional qualifying time of 1:48.66 with their victory.

            O'Leary followed with a first place finish in the 50 butterfly (26.62).

            Junior Jackie Foster (Bedford, N.H.) broke her own school record and recorded a NCAA provisional qualifying time (1:54.74) with her second place finish in the 200 free.

            Trutor hit the trifecta by setting a meet, pool, and school record with her first place finish in the 100 back in a NCAA provisional qualifying time of 57.63. Sophomore Bridget Kline (Norwalk, Conn.) was fourth (1:04.31) in the race.

            Going two-for one, Whitaker broke both Owl 50 breast (30.92) and 100 breast (1:06.96) records in the finals of the 100 breast race.  Paddock was second with a time of 1:07.87.   Freshman Meghan Wilson (Torrington, Conn.) dropped three seconds from her personal best time to finish seventh in the race (1:10.35), beating her sister Jessica Wilson from Eastern Conn., who placed 12th (1:12.38).

            Keene State concluded the day by winning the 800 free relay.  Sophomore Jessica Laidley (Brockton, Mass.) joined forces with Paddock, O'Leary, and Foster to post a school record time of 7:59.18.