Staten Island, NY- The Wagner College swim team fell to the Columbia University Lions this afternoon at the Spiro Sports Center by a score of 143-58. With the loss, the Seahawks drop to 4-4 overall, 3-0 in the Northeast Conference. 

Senior co-captain Jessica Hart (Montreal, Canada / Northwest) earned the Green & White's only first-place finish with her performance in the 200 butterfly, clocking in at 2:10.30. Hart also had a second-place finish in the 50 freestyle, finishing with a time of 25.35. 

Also recording second-place finishes for Wagner were senior co-captain Melanie Rodriguez-Lapman (Chesire, CT / Chesire) and sophomore Patricia Gavin (Staten Island, NY / Staten Island Tech). Rodriguez-Lapman notched two second-place finishes, her first in the 200 freestyle (2:01.29) and her second in the 400 IM (4:51.59). Gavin's second-place mark came in the 100 breaststroke, clocking in at 1:13.01. 

The Seahawks 200 freestyle relay also picked up a second-place finish with their time of 1:46.69. The relay team consisted of junior Sarah Plucinsky (Allentown, PA / Allentown Central Catholic), sophomore Lauren Meyer (Hamden, CT / Hamden HS), freshman Alanna Gibbons (Staten Island, NY / Staten Island Tech) and Rodriguez-Lapman. 

Wagner also had three third-place finishes in sophomore Jakki Guenther's (South Hadley, MA / South Hadley HS) performance in the 100 backstroke (1:03.00), freshman Dana Samuel's (Rivonia/ South Africa / Crawford College) time in the 400 IM (5:07.65) and junior Bethny Brown's (Enfield, CT / Ennco Fermi High) finish in the 100 breaststroke (1:16.23). 

“I think the last two days have been a good test of our character for our team,” said head coach Mark Sowa. “We have been battling some sicknesses but our girls responded to a high level of competition very well. Now as we head into the second half of the season we have a good idea of where we need improve but also that we have a group of athletes who are resolved to be better.” 

The Seahawks return to action Saturday, January 16 when they travel to Emmitsburg, MD to face Mount Saint Mary's at 1:00 PM.

FINAL RESULTS