The swimming and diving team hosted Boston University on Saturday afternoon. The women’s team edged the Terriers 153.5-146.5, while the men’s team fell 178-108.
“The team stepped up and did a phenomenal job on Saturday,” senior women’s captain Savannah Coe said. “We knew going in that it was going to be a close meet so the whole team went in prepared to give it our all.”
The top performer for the women’s squad was sophomore Megan Polaha, who was quickest in three individual events. She touched first in both the 100-yard and 200-yard butterfly, and was first in the 200-yard individual medley.
Senior Victoria McGovern also was victorious in multiple individual events. The Stamford, Connecticut native triumphed in both the 100-yard and 200-yard breaststroke.
Sophomore Morgan Fairclough and junior Shannon Lulley took home individual events as well. Fairclough took the 100-yard backstroke, while Lulley was quickest in the 50-yard freestyle.
Furthermore, the team won both relay events, the second of which decided the meet at the Colonel Francis B. Messmore Aquatics Center. In the 16th and final women’s event, the Fordham squad of sophomore Kalena Laurent, junior Theresa Goehring and the Lulley sisters out-touched the Terriers’ top team by less than two seconds.
“There was definitely pressure going into the last relay,” senior captain Frances Warren said. “The girls knew that we needed a win in the relay to win the meet, but they handled it very well and used the pressure to pull out some really great swims.”
Other top performances for the Rams included five second-place individual finishes. Laurent placed second in the 200-yard freestyle, senior Spencer Chappell was second in both the 100-yard and 200-yard backstroke, senior Kelly Carroll touched second in the 100-yard breaststroke, and junior Chandler Lulley finished second in the 100-yard freestyle. With the meet victory, the women’s team is now 3-1.
The men’s team did not fare as well, winning only four of 16 events. Junior Steve Sholdra led the way for the squad. Sholdra, an Atlantic 10 All-Academic selection a year ago, was quickest in the 1000-yard freestyle and touched first in the 200-yard butterfly. Sholdra also was second in the 200-yard individual medley.
Freshman Liam Semple won two events. The Ram newcomer showed his freestyle prowess, winning both the 200 and 500-yard distances in the stroke. Other top finishers for the Rams included junior Thomas Shetler, who placed second in the 50-yard freestyle, and junior Hanul Moon, who finished second in both diving events.
Senior Patrick Militti touched third in both the 100 and 200-yard freestyle, and freshman J.T. Klimko was out touched by two Terriers in both the 100 and 200-yard backstroke. Sophomore Peter Abrahamsen also placed third in the 500-yard freestyle, while senior Zach Jacobsen took third in the 200-yard individual medley. The men’s team is now 1-3.
The women’s team is next in action on Friday, when it will host LIU Post at 6 p.m. Both the men’s and women’s squads will then compete in the Bucknell Invitational from Nov. 21-23.
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Drew Casey is a Staff Writer for The Fordham Ram.
