Women’s Swimming & Diving Begin 11th Annual Bomber Invitational in Second Place after Friday

ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College women's swimming & diving program co-hosted the 11^th Annual Bomber Invitational as the three-day event kicked off on Friday in Kelsey Partridge Bird Natatorium. After the first day of competition, the Bombers (312) sit in second behind first-place Hamilton College (321) who racked up just nine more points. Vassar College (296), the University of Rochester (193), Le Moyne (146), Susquehanna (75), Smith College (75), Nazareth College (70), Hartwick College (51) and Alfred University (35) rounded out the schools competing.

Ithaca saw Josephine Holman finish in seventh in the 500-yard freestyle as she was IC's top finisher at 5:18.61. Angela Merch scored a second-place finish in the 200-yard IM with a season-best time of 2:10.73. She finished just behind Vassar's Bella Rippon who put together a finals time of 2:09.72.

First year Sonia Mlakar showed her speed in the 50-yard freestyle winning the event with a time of 23.81. Jane Pfeufer was fifth for the Bombers as she raced to a 24.31.

Ithaca won the 200-yard medley over Liberty League foe Vassar as Sonia Mlakar, Abigail Ignagni, Emily VanderSleen and Jane Pfeufer swam a combined time of 1:46.62. The Brewers were second with there "A" relay squad having a time of 1:48.55.

In diving action, it was Karalyn Pawcio who ran away from the competition on the 3-meter board as it was all Ithaca behind the first-place finisher. Pawcio totaled 511.40, followed by Abby Marraccino (494.35), Jenell Slesser (468.60), Rachel Lange (454.50), Angela Burke (445.55), and Eliza Salus (423.65).

The Bombers are back in action tomorrow with day two of the Bomber Invitational, starting at 10 a.m. with the 200 freestyle relay. The 400 IM, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle and 400 medley relay will wrap up the morning session. Diving then begins at 1 p.m. with the 1-meter before breaking for the afternoon.

The evening sessions is slated to begin at 6 p.m. with the 200-yard butterfly, followed by the 100-yard backstroke, 100-yard breaststroke and 800-yard freestyle relay.