Swimming & Diving Opens 2017-18 Campaign at Marist

Results

Poughkeepsie, N.Y. – The Fordham swimming & diving team opened its 2017-18 season on Thursday night up in Poughkeepsie, New York, taking on the Marist Red Foxes.  The Fordham women started off the year on the right foot with a 162-76 win, while the Fordham men were edged out by Marist, 137-100.
 
The Fordham women took first in all 13 events on Thursday, led by the freshmen class, who accounted for five event wins.  Bayley Frierson and Caitlin McNary each won two event, with Michelle Martin also joining in the freshmen wins.  Frierson took the distance freestyle events in 10:38.27 (1000) and 5:14.10 (500), while McNary took home the 100 (53.56) and 200 (1:54.71) freestyle events.  Martin captured the 50 freestyle in 24.39 seconds.
 
The upperclassmen would not let the freshmen have all the fun, as seniors Nele Albers and Wendy Espina-Esquivel were also dual event winners against Marist.  Albers won the 200 IM in 2:13.28 and the 200 breaststroke in 2:24.98, while Espina-Esquivel took first in both diving events with scores of 290.40 (1M) and 264.90 (3M).
 
Sophomores Amelia Bullock and Catherine Alabanza rounded out the individual winners.  Bullock won the 200 butterfly in 2:07.00, while Alabanza took home the 200 backstroke in 2:06.80.
 
In the relays, the 400 medley relay squad of Martin, Gabrielle Celia, Bullock, and Theresa Mullen won in 3:56.19, while

McNary, Paulina Watson, Erin McBride, and Mullen posted a first-place time of 3:35.36.
 
On the men's side, sophomore Joseph Vizza picked up right where he left off last season, winning two events on Thursday.  He won the 200 freestyle in 1:43.18, while grabbing first in the 100 freestyle in 47.62 seconds.  He was also anchored the 400 medley relay to a win in 3:27.80 along with Isiah Magsino, Travis Monahan, and Joe Mercurio.
 
Magsino and Monahan also earned individual event victories on the night.  Magsino took the 200 IM in 1:55.81 with Monahan taking the 50 freestyle in 21.73.
 
Fordham's final event win on the men's side was the 400 freestyle relay, as Danny McGowan, Bryce Bollesen, Kevin Berry, and Mercurio placed first in 3:11.74.
 
The Fordham swimming & diving teams will next be in action on Saturday, October 21^st, when the Rams travel to Storrs, Connecticut for a meet at UConn, beginning at 1:00 PM.