February 1, 2005

GENEVA, N.Y.—The William Smith swimming and diving team dropped a hard-fought 140-101 decision to visiting Ithaca College in Bristol Pool tonight. Both teams were led by a pair of double winners, but it was the Bombers’ depth that proved to be the difference.

The meet got off to a dramatic start, as Ithaca carried the lead of the 200-yard medley relay into the butterfly. That’s when Heron senior Becky Grossman (Mercersburg Academy/Penfield, N.Y.) turned on the jets, pulling William Smith even with the lead Bomber. From there, first-year Meghan Mosher (Livonia/Conesus, N.Y.) sprinted home the freestyle leg, touching in just 38 hundredths of a second ahead of Ithaca’s second place squad.

The Bombers won the next two events, including the first of first-year Jovanna Hart’s (Bradford/Bradford, Pa.) two wins on the night in the 200 free (2:03.37). She also won the 100 free in 56.83 seconds.

Grossman stopped the Bombers’ run with a win in the 50 free, clocking in at 25.58, but Ithaca first-year Kelly Turpin (Mounds Park Academy/St. Paul, Minn.) put the Bombers back to their winning ways with a victorious 2:21.60 in the 200 individual medley. Turpin also won the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:06.33.

Junior diver Sarah Costanza (Gwynedd Mercy/Ambler, Pa.) won on the 1-meter board by more than 27 points to pull the Herons within five points, 57-52, through six events. She also won the 3-meter event, this time by more than 43 points.

Grossman’s second win of the night, a 1:00.58 in the 100 fly, helped William Smith inch a point closer, but Ithaca responded by capturing five of the final six events. Grossman’s 100 fly time was just 27 hundredths of a second off the Bristol Pool record.

William Smith is back in action at 1 p.m., on Feb. 5, in the Skidmore Invitational.

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