BY CSTV.com

Bucknell Women's Swimming and Diving Victorious in Eight Events in ...
On the boards, sophomore Rebecca Bersani (Fairport, NY/Fairport) led the Bucknell contingent, claiming the runner-up spot in both one-meter and three-meter ...

LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell women's swimming and diving team posted eight first-places finishes as the squad opened the 2007-08 season at home on Saturday with a non-scored dual meet against UMBC.

Sophomores Abigail Atkinson (Newtown, Conn./Newtown) and Megan Mongan (Malvern, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) were both double-winners for the Bison. Atkinson claimed the top spots in both the 100- and 200-yard backstroke with times of one minute, 1.16 seconds, and 2:09.77, respectively, while Mongan won the 100 IM in 1:01.68 and the 200 IM in 2:11.51. Atkinson was the runner-up in the 50 back as well, with a time of 28.95.

In front of Atkinson in the 50 back was sophomore Courtney Warren (Montour Falls, N.Y./Watkins Glen) who won the event with a time of 28.51 and took second in the 100 back, reaching the wall in 1:01.53.

Senior Kristen Skroski (North Haven, Conn./Hopkins) was victorious in the first session of the 200 free, an event which was run twice in the meet, with a time of 1:57.83, and was the runner-up in both the 500 free (5:12.06) and the 1,000 free (10:42.50).

In her first collegiate meet, freshman Molly Goebel (New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan) broke into Bucknell's record book as she posted a time of 24.52 in the 50 free to win the event and move into 10th in program history. Goebel also took third in the 100 free with a time of 54.83.

Two more freshmen performed well across several events in their college debuts as Macey Keath (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest) was the runner-up in the 400 IM (4:44.43) and finished third in both the 100 IM (1:04.31) and the 200 IM (2:15.32). Katie John (Barrington, R.I./Barrington) collected three third-place showings on the afternoon, which came in the 200 free (2:00.42), the 500 free (5:18.52) and the 1,000 free (10:54.69).

Sophomore Sarah Pease (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin Senior High) placed in the top three across all three butterfly events, taking second in the 50 (27.82) and third in both the 100 (1:01.12) and the 200 (2:14.85).

On the boards, sophomore Rebecca Bersani (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) led the Bucknell contingent, claiming the runner-up spot in both one-meter and three-meter diving, with scores of 212.70 and 219.60, respectively.

In the relays, the Orange and Blue recorded one first-place finish as Mongan, Skroski, John and junior Susan Horstmann (Havertown, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) teamed to post the winning time of 3:39.09.

Other top performances of the day included sophomore Abigail Paules (York, Pa./Baltimore Lutheran) taking the runner-up spot in the 200 back (2:13.31) and junior Kelly Morris (Metuchen, N.J./Metuchen) finishing second in the 50 breast (31.47).

The Bison will be back in action on Saturday, Oct. 27, for the squad's annual Blue vs. Orange meet, beginning at 1 p.m. in Kinney Natatorium. Bucknell will then take to the road for a dual against Duquesne on Nov. 3.

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