ST. MARY’S CITY, MD – The York College women’s swimming team dropped a 129-76 result to host and Capital Athletic Conference foe St. Mary’s College of Maryland Saturday afternoon. The Spartans did however collect a trio of first-place finishes as they continue to work toward the CAC Championships in mid-February.

The Green and White led off the meet with a win in the 200-medley relay. Heather MacLennan (Galena, Md./St. Mark's), Alex Minsky (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North), Liz Grey (Bensalem, Pa./Nazareth Academy), and Ashley Stanton (Columbia, Md./Hammond) combined to provide the Spartans with the victory posting 1:57.37 – 1.15 seconds ahead of St. Mary’s “A” squad.

MacLennan has quickly become a standout for the Spartans as she not only led off York’s triumphant 200-medley squad but she also posted a pair of individual wins. The sophomore picked up victories in the 200 freestyle, registering a time of 2:00.48 for York’s second best 200 free this season, and the 100 backstroke by touching the wall at 1:03.11 in her first 100 back performance of the year.

Stanton recorded her best 200 freestyle time of the 2009-2010 season, coming in with a mark of 2:04.75 to nab second for the Spartans. The senior secured additional second-place points for the Green and White in the 100 freestyle. Her 58.38 proved not only the meet’s second-best time but also Stanton’s second-best time of the year. Sophomore Michaela Guild (Laurel, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) finished just .22 behind Stanton to take third with a 58.60.

Guild would later capture York’s third runner-up spot as she came in second in the 500 freestyle. Guild’s 5:38.07 proved to be York’s second-best mark of the young campaign, following only her own 5:35.19.

In keeping with second-place finishes, the Spartans’ 200 freestyle relay team also notched second. Alison Beverly (Andover, N.J./Newton), Molly Wasik (York, Pa./Spring Grove), Kaitlyn Estes (Athens, Pa./Athens Area), and Lisa King (Bel Air, Md./C. Milton Wright) combined to register a 1:46.39.

Kathy Murphy (Farmingdale, N.J./Colts Neck) and Amanda Silcox (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest) went 3-4 in the 100 backstroke. Murphy touched in at 1:05.46 while Silcox’s 1:05.50 proved to be a personal best for this season.

Minsky captured third for the Green and White in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:14.11. The freshman’s time ranks second on the squad in the event for the 2009 campaign.

York returns to action on Friday, December 4, as the Spartans host Salisbury and Goucher in a 6:00 p.m. tri-meet.

MEET RESULTS

Heather MacLennan photo courtesy of Zach Clabaugh (www.sharpedgephoto.smugmug.com)