ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon University women's swimming and diving team absorbed a close loss to Clarion on Friday night in a close meet that came down to the final event.

Despite a 152-145 loss to the Golden Eagles at Carneval Athletic Pavilion Pool, there was a lot for head coach Jacqueline Michalski and her team to like about their season-opening meet.

Gannon won half the events, and some young athletes displayed their talent in their first college meet. Plus, they were up against a team that already had opened their season last week.

"I'm really proud of the teamwork that I saw," Michalski said. "I think our newcomers did a great job stepping up in their first meet."

Gannon got leadership from some veteran swimmers such as senior Sterre van de Goor (Oss, Netherlands/Sint-Joriscollege), who swept the distance events. She won the 500-yard freestyle in 5:15.44 and touched first in the 1,000 freestyle in a time of 10:39.62.

Junior Chenay Date Line (Johannesburg, South Africa/Crawford College Sandton) won the 200 freestyle (1:59.21) and placed second in the 500 free (5:18.96).

However, five of Gannon's individual victories came from swimmers who were sophomores or freshmen.

Sophomore Isabella Dietz (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) had first-place finishes in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.35) and 200 breaststroke (2:32.51). Freshman Katelyn Reott (Butler, Pa./Moniteau) earned victories in the 100 backstroke (58.66) and 100 freestyle (54.21), while fellow freshman Emily Hedges (Peachtree Corners, Ga./St Pius X Catholic) recorded her first college victory in the 200 butterfly (2:11.94).

Clarion was led by Hannah Greenway, who won the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly and swam on the winning 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay teams. Maria Wold won the 200 backstroke and 200 individual medley for the Golden Eagles.

The Golden Eagles did not clinch their win until their victory in the final event, the 400 freestyle relay. Gannon led by two points going into that event.

In addition to the event wins, Michalski was pleased with other veteran athletes' leadership and for other more modest wins, such as junior Paige Johnson (Warren, Pa./Warren Area) getting personal bests in each of her events.

Michalski was also thankful for the support the team received in the season opener.

"We're so grateful for the support we received from the parents and fans," said Michalski, who added that among those in attendance were members of the men's soccer, cheer and dance, and women's water polo teams.
 
Women's Results
Team score: Clarion 152, Gannon 145

• 200-yard medley relay: 1. Clarion 1:48.10* (Joslyn Jurski, Ava Rosely, Hannah Greenway, Maddy McTeer), 2. Gannon 1:48.57 (Katelyn Reott (Butler, Pa./Moniteau), Isabella Dietz (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny), Hannah Jacobs (Johannesburg, South Africa), Lily Cunningham (Lavista, Neb./Papillion-La Vista)).
• 1,000 freestyle: 1. Sterre van de Goor (Oss, Netherlands/Sint-Joriscollege), Gannon 10:39.62, 2. Maddie Myers, Gannon 10:56.97.
• 200 freestyle: 1. Chenay Date Line (Johannesburg, South Africa/Crawford College Sandton), Gannon 1:59.21, 2. Irati Arzalluz (Lasarte-Oria, Spain/Santo Tomas Lizeoa), Gannon 2:00.03.
• 100 backstroke: 1. Katelyn Reott (Butler, Pa./Moniteau), Gannon 58.66, 2. Maria Wold, Clarion 1:01.30.
• 100 breaststroke: 1. Isabella Dietz (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny), Gannon 1:09.35, 2. Ava Rosely, Clarion 1:09.65.
• 200 butterfly: 1. Emily Hedges (Peachtree Corners, Ga./St Pius X Catholic), Gannon 2:11.94, 2. Emma Dorsey, Clarion 2:12.45.
• 50 freestyle: 1. Hannah Greenway, Clarion 23.32*, 2. Alex Pannemann (Clinton Twp., Mich./Chippewa Valley), Gannon 24.77.
• 100 freestyle: 1. Katelyn Reott (Butler, Pa./Moniteau), Gannon 54.21, 2. Haley Miller, Clarion 54.49.
• 200 backstroke: 1. Maria Wold, Clarion 2:10.07, 2. Maddy Murphy, Clarion 2:16.43.
• 200 breaststroke: 1. Isabella Dietz (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny), Gannon 2:32.51, 2. Paige Johnson (Warren, Pa./Warren Area), Gannon 2:33.30.
• 500 freestyle: 1. Sterre van de Goor (Oss, Netherlands/Sint-Joriscollege), Gannon 5:15.44, 2. Chenay Date Line (Johannesburg, South Africa/Crawford College Sandton), Gannon 5:18.96.
• 100 butterfly: 1. Hannah Greenway, Clarion 58.92, 2. Hannah Jacobs (Johannesburg, South Africa), Gannon 59.26.
• 200 IM: 1. Maria Wold, Clarion 2:11.96, 2. Isabella Dietz (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny), Gannon 2:14.76.
• 400 freestyle relay: 1. Clarion 3:37.43 (Jordan Kutchak, Haley Miller, Maddy McTeer, Hannah Greenway), 2. Gannon 3:40.69 (Maddie Myers, Chenay Date Line (Johannesburg, South Africa/Crawford College Sandton), Irati Arzalluz (Lasarte-Oria, Spain/Santo Tomas Lizeoa), Lily Cunningham (Lavista, Neb./Papillion-La Vista)).
• 1-meter diving: 1. Katie Madigan, Clarion 262.13, 2. Bria Lewis, Clarion 216.23.
• 3-meter diving: 1. Katie Madigan, Clarion 230.33, 2. Morgan Lukaesko, Clarion 152.75.

*Pool record