Jan. 28, 2006

Final Stats

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Freshman Kelly Zahalka (Richmond, Va.) won two events and assisted on another, yet proved to not be enough as Penn defeated Navy, 169-126, in women's swimming and diving action on Saturday afternoon in Lejeune Hall. The Midshipmen fell to 6-6 in their final home dual meet of the season, while the Quakers upped their mark to 10-5.

For the third time in as many attempts this season, Zahalka won the 100-meter freestyle with a time of 59.11 seconds. The freshman also finished first in the 400-meter individual medley with a 5:02.47 showing. In the final event of the day, junior Aubra Thomas (Pittsburgh, Pa.), sophomore Rachel Gray (Latrobe, Pa.), senior team captain Mandy Minikus (Raleigh, N.C.) and Zahalka teamed up to win the 200-meter freestyle relay with a time of 1:49.81, only .56-second off the Lejeune Hall record.

In addition to assisting on the 200-meter freestyle relay, Thomas also won two swimming events on the day. The junior swam the 100-meter breaststroke in 1:13.25, 3.00 seconds faster than second-place finisher Megan Carlin from Penn. Thomas came back and topped the field with a 2:42.84 showing in the 200-meter breaststroke. Thomas owns three victories in as many tries in both events during her junior campaign.

Sophomore Katie Griffin (Ellicott City, Md.) won both diving events for the sixth time this season. Griffin posted a 262.80-point effort in the one-meter diving competition, then won the three-meter event with a 308.33 score, marking the first time this year the sophomore earned 300-plus points.

Freshman Jennie Spencer (Smithburg, W.Va.) also won an event on Saturday, pacing all competitors in the 100-meter backstroke with a 1:06.46 effort.

Navy returns to action next Saturday, Feb. 4, with a road dual meet at Richmond scheduled for 2 p.m.