BRISTOL R.I. 2/27/09 - Keene State College got off the blocks in
fine fashion on Friday, jumping out to the lead after the first day
of competition at the New England Intercollegiate Swimming and
Diving Association (NEISDA) Championships being held at Roger
Williams University in Bristol, R.I.
The Owls, looking to capture their first title, tallied 235
points. Defending champion Bentley University, which edged
KSC by 11 points last year, is second with 161. Host RWU is third
with 132 points.
"It was an incredible first day," said KSC Coach Jack
Fabian. "The men were ready to swim.
Keene State, who won six of the seven races, set six school
records and broke one pool mark on Friday.
The Owls began the meet by setting a school record with their
first place finish in the 200 free relay. The team of junior
Domingo Rose (Nashua, N.H.), sophomore
Connor Pennoyer (Norwalk, Conn.) and Karl
Balinski (Waterford, Conn.) and freshman Harrison
Hollingsworth (Derry, N.H.) clocked a time of 1:24.23;
two-tenths of a second off a NCAA championship qualify mark.
Rose, a butterfly specialists, also set a KSC record in the 50 free
(21.14) swimming the first leg of the relay.
Keene State swept the first three spots in the 500 free.
Sophomore Dan Theleen (Southbury, Conn.) won the
race in a school record time of 4:41.17). Sophomore
Dan Morse (Hope, R.I.) was second (4:43.25), and
sophomore Lucas Pozzetta (Merrimack, N.H.) was
third (4:44.87). Sophomore Patrick Luciano
(Warren, N.J.) also scored in the race with his fifth place
(4:52.36) finish.
Pennoyer raced to a first place finish (52.29) in the 100
butterfly. Teammate DJ Collis (Laconia, N.H.) was
third (53.66), and freshman Ramsey Haddad
(Barrington, R.I.) took fourth (53.67).
Rose beat a pair of Bentley swimmers with his first place finish
in the 50 breast. His time of 25.90 was not only a KSC record, but
broke the pool mark that had been set back in 1995.
Hollingsworth showed no freshman jitters winning the 200 back in
a school record time of 1:54.44. Balinski followed with his
first place performance (21.58) in the 50 free.
In the one-meter diving event, Sophomore Tim
Thornton (Fairfield, Conn.)placed fourth (386.95 points)
and freshman Derek Peabody (Haverhill, Mass.) was
sixth (358.55 points).
The 400 medley relay team of Collis, Pennoyer, Rose and Balinski
concluded the day by winning the race in a school record time of
3:28.81.
