Women’s Swimming and Diving posts 5 first-place finishes in 187-99 loss at Mount Union

By Wes Mayberry 

ALLIANCE — The Ohio Northern women's swimming and diving team posted first-place finishes in five of 16 events en route to a 187-99 loss at Ohio Athletic Conference foe Mount Union on Saturday afternoon at Hammond Natatorium.

The Purple Raiders improve to 3-2 overall and 2-1 in the OAC while dropping the Polar Bears to 1-4, 1-2.

Senior Shelby Starkey (Bellefontaine) and sophomore Mara Brown (Fremont/Ross) led the way for ONU with two first-place finishes each.

Starkey won the 100 back in 1:01.87 and the 200 back in 2:14.13.

Brown won the 100 breast in 1:11.02 and the 200 IM in 2:18.70.

Starkey and Brown joined senior Abby Schauer (Beavercreek) and freshman Meghan Mattison (Easton, Pa.) on the 200 medley relay team that placed second in 1:54.51.

Starkey was also a member of the 400 free relay team that finished third in 3:58.74, joining Schauer, senior Gabbie Grant (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Lakeview) and sophomore Annie Richters (Tory/Miami East).

Brown also posted a second-place finish in the 100 fly in 1:01.87.

In addition to the relay events, Schauer posted a second-place finish in the 200 breast in 2:43.90 and a third-place finish in the 100 breast in 1:14.73.

Mattison added a first-place finish in the 200 fly in 2:22.74 and was third in the 100 fly in 1:03.34.

Grant, junior Katie Bend (Carmel, Ind.) and sophomore Hannah Eversole (Cincinnati/Mount Notre Dame) each posted a pair of third-place finishes.

Grant added a third-place finish in the 200 free in 2:07.22 to her relay finish.

Bend was third in the 1,000 free in 11:55.15 and the 500 free in 5:47.42.

Eversole was third in the 200 fly in 2:28.42 and the 200 IM in 2:28.14.

Sophomores Sydney Selinsky (Dover/Tuscarawas Central Catholic) and Aubrey Pritchard (Delaware/Olentangy Berlin) rounded out ONU's list of top-three finishes.

Selinsky was third in the 50 free in :26.73, and Pritchard was third in the 200 breast in 2:49.17.

The Polar Bears return to action on Friday in a tri-meet at Ohio Wesleyan with Bluffton at 6 p.m.