JMU SWIMMING AND DIVING SWEEPS CAA POD MEET

Saturday, November 6

Harrisonburg, Va.

All Day

James Madison University

192

161

Old Dominion

11/7/2010 7:56:00 PM | Swimming & Diving

HARRISONBURG, Va., Nov. 7, 2010 - James Madison swimming and diving picked up four wins, including three against Colonial Athletic Association foes, as it swept the CAA POD meet held at Savage Natatorium this weekend.

The Dukes improved to 6-3 in dual meets this season and 4-1 in conference play. JMU defeated the College of Charleston 294-59, Northeastern 214-139, Old Dominion 192-161 and William and Mary 208-145.

"Our entire season is to prepare us for the end of the year and today was an opportunity to take a step towards those goals," head coach Samantha Smith said. "After a full day of racing yesterday, the team that raced better tired was going to be difficult to beat, and I think our team did that. They grew up a little bit today. From the first relay to the last, their intensity and determination never faltered."

After winning four events on Saturday, the Dukes won four more events on Sunday, including finishing first and second in the 100-yard and the 500-yard freestyles. After finishing in the top-two spots on Saturday in the 1,650 free, junior Lauren Kranz (Clifton, Va./James Robinson) and freshman Morgan Johnson (Woodstock, Ga./Woodstock) repeated that performance in the 500 free. Kranz took first in a time of 5:02.08 while Johnson finished 1.44 seconds behind in second.

Senior Carly Gibson (Bethesda, Md./Academy of the Holy Cross) won the 100 free in a time of 53.10 with junior Eva Hannesdottir (Seltjarnarnes, Iceland/Kvennaskolinn) taking second. In addition to her win in the 100 free, Gibson out-raced the field in the 100-yard butterfly to finish first with a time of 56.74. Sophomore Andrea Criscuolo (Point Pleasant, N.J./Point Pleasant) finished third at 58.43.

The Dukes final win of the day came in the 400-yard freestyle relay as the team of Hannesdottir, Gibson, and juniors Rebecca Hunt (Glen Allen, Va./J.R. Tucker) and Catalina Mendieta (Parkland, Fla./Marjory Stoneman Douglas) set a Savage Natatorium pool record by finishing in a time of 3:30.28.

Other top performances by the Dukes on Sunday include senior Lisa Colapietro (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg) finishing second and freshman Shannon Dubay (South Windsor, Conn./South Windsor) finishing fourth in the 200 breaststroke, sophomore Caroline Burns (Severna Park, Md./Severn School) finishing fourth in the 200 backstroke and sophomore Samantha Holland (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) finishing fourth in the 200-yard individual medley.

On Saturday, the Duke won four events, including both diving events. Junior diver Nicole Jotso (Suffern, N.Y./Suffern) set a pool record in the 3-meter dive with a 321.60 while all three JMU divers, Jotso, senior Jessie Everett (Arlington, Va./Yorktown) and sophomore Kimberly Helfrich (Fort Belvoir, Va. West Springfield), all qualified for the NCAA Zone A Qualifying Meet.

JMU returns to the pool on Thursday, Nov. 18 in Chapel Hill, N.C. in the Nike Cup Invitational.