FINAL SCORE: Vermont 171, Niagara 120 - Results
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. - Freshman Johannah Kos (Feeding Hills, Mass.) won three events to help the University of Vermont swimming and diving team defeat Niagara 171-120 on Sunday afternoon. Three individuals and one relay team qualified for ECAC's and with the win, the Catamounts improve to 2-0 on the season.

"Overall we had an incredible meet today," said Vermont head coach Gerry Cournoyer. "Niagara always swims tough against us, but we came out ready to go and our depth and hard work paid off. I am looking forward to our first conference meet of the season next week against Binghamton."

Kos paced a 1-2 effort for Vermont in the 200 backstroke, winning in an ECAC qualifying time of 2:13.81, while classmate Amanda Murphy (Burlington, Mass.) finished second. Kos also won the 200 IM (2:19.00), 100 backstroke (1:02.93) and was part of the 400 medley relay team that won and qualified for ECAC's along with sophomores Ashley Gillespie (Ithaca, N.Y.) and Eryka Karz (Mt. Prospect, Ill.), as well as freshman Colleen Clark (Unionville, Conn.).

The Catamounts went 1-2-3 in both the 100 and 200 freestyle events, and the 200 fly. Clark, sophomore Rachel Kent (Mystic, Conn.) and freshman Colleen Withers (Doylestown, Pa.) took the top three spots in the 100 free with Clark winning in 54:47. Freshman Molly MacMillan (Doylestown, Pa.) finished first in the 200 free with a time of 1:58.15 and was followed by teammates Clark and sophomore Lauren Anderson (Essex, Vt.). Junior Nicole Underhill (South Burlington, Vt.) led the way in the 200 fly, winning in 2:16.67 while Karz and freshman Leigh Galligan (Watertown, Mass.) placed second and third.

Also winning for Vermont was sophomore Lauren Honrath (Monroe, Conn.) in the 1,000 free (10:54.88), Kent in the 50 free (25.79) and Gillespie, who qualified for ECAC's, in the 200 breaststroke (2:30.79). The 400 freestyle relay team made up of sophomore Jessica Sheridan (Franklin, Mass.), junior Cristin O'Neil (North Reading, Mass.), Karz and Anderson was also victorious in a time of 3:53.63.

Sophomore diver Katie Nickitas (Greenwich, Conn.) had another great meet, winning both the one and three meter diving events. "Katie was big today," said Cournoyer. "She looked outstanding."

Vermont returns to action next Saturday when the Catamounts travel to Vestal, N.Y. to take on America East rival Binghamton and also Canisius starting at 12:00pm.

PUBLISHED

10-22-2006
Benjamin Dickie