NORTH DARTMOUTH, MASS. 12/7/13 -- For the second straight season, Keene State College shattered the Little East Women's Swimming & Diving Championship record for team points with a score of 668 to capture the program's eighth consecutive and 11th overall title this afternoon at the Tripp Center Natatorium on the campus of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. The Owls won 11 individual races, while sweeping both team relays.
Keene State set three individual championship meet records, in addition to the 400 yard freestyle relay to eclipse the previous team standard (630 points) that was established by the 2012 KSC squad. Eastern Connecticut State University surpassed the 300-point barrier for the second straight season to place second with 304 total points.
Junior Caitlyn Shea (Salem, N.H.) paced the Owls with three individual titles, including breaking the 200 and 500-yard freestyle records. She eclipsed a pair of championship meet records that were previously held by former Keene State standout Jackie Foster. Shea completed the 200 freestyle race in one minute, 57.22 seconds, while touching the wall at five minutes, 13.02 seconds in the 500 freestyle event. She also captured the 200 butterfly individual title with a time of two minutes, 13.49 seconds.
"It means a lot to win the championship. We're very excited," said Shea. "Everyone went out there really confident and we were cheering each other on throughout the meet. It was a great team effort."
Owl sophomore Alison Bartlett (Stratham, N.H.) stood atop the awards podium twice this afternoon, winning the 50 and 100-yard freestyle races. Bartlett established a new Little East record in the 100 freestyle (52.46), while also sporting the best time in the 50 freestyle (23.99). Classmate Amber Long (Dover, N.H.) was also a double winner for Keene State, placing first in the 100 butterfly (1:00.41) and the 1650 freestyle (18:09.31)."We just went into the meet with a real positive attitude and it was a very exciting win," said Long.
Other first-place finishes for KSC were posted by junior Taylor DaSilva (Stony Brook, N.Y.) in the 100 back (59.50), classmate Diana Pimer (West Haven, Conn.) in the 200 IM (2:16.24), sophomore Corrina Nickerson (Torrington, Conn.) in the 200 breast (2:31.04), and freshman Rachel Butler (Marston Mills, Mass.) in the 200 back (2:12.79).
The foursome of senior Alexis Houser (New Hope, Pa.), DaSilva, Pimer and Bartlett won the 200 medley relay (1:49.38). While senior Stephanie Murray (Haverhill, Mass.) and sophomore Brianna Laliberte (Candia, N.H.) teamed with Bartlett and DaSilva to win the 400 free relay with a record-setting time of 3:39.56.
Joining the team after playing soccer for the Owls this fall, sophomore diver Shannon Summers (Keene, N.H.) placed second in the one-meter event with 190.40 points.
