Swimming and Diving Narrowly Defeated by Simmons, 155-145; Panthers Finish Season at .500 Mark

BOSTON, Mass. – In a dual meet in which each team won eight events, Simmons College edged Plymouth State College in women’s swimming and diving competition Saturday afternoon, 155-145.

The Panthers did not go down without a fight. There were several outstanding performances by the Panthers, according to head coach Al Switzer, with as many as 15 swimmers posting their best times of the season.

PSC juniors Scarlette Scarborough (Salem, NH) and Annabelle Winters (Chester, NH) continued their fine seasons for the Panthers. Scarborough captured two more individual events, finishing the dual meets with at least two victories in each meet and a total of 25. She cruised to wins in the 200 yard butterfly (in a time of 2:20.04) and 200 yard backstroke (season-best 2:21.61), and also took second in the 50 butterfly (career-best 29.97). Winters posted personal best times in winning both the 200 yard freestyle (2:06.11) and 500 yard freestyle (5:39.28), and came back with a strong second-place finish in the 200 individual medley (2:29.14). Winters registered 14 first place finishes in dual meets this season.

Senior Caitlin O’Connor (Rochester, N.H.) had a solid meet for PSC as well. After finishing a close second in both the 200 free (season-best 2:09.24) and 50 free (27.39), O’Connor brought home first place in the 100 freestyle with a personal best time of 58.73. Freshman Tessa Ferrario (Waterbury, Vt.) was also a solid runner-up in the odd combination of the 1000 freestyle (12:16.88) and 50 breaststroke (36.54).

Plymouth State finished 1-2 in both diving events, with junior Krit Kearins (Andover, Mass.) capturing the one-meter (season-high 217.35) and finishing second on three-meter, and junior Jen Crescenzi (Killingworth, Conn.) winning on the high board (212.35) and placing second on the low board.

The contest was PSC’s last dual meet of the season, and the Panthers end up the campaign with a 5-5 record. The only remaining competition is the annual New England Championships, which will be held at Bentley College on Feb. 21-23.