Women's Swimming team opens 2013-14 season with sixth place finish at Kenyon Relays

By Tim Glon

GAMBIER — The Ohio Northern women's swim team opened its 2013-14 season with a sixth place finish at the Kenyon Relays Saturday afternoon at the Kenyon Athletic Center.

The Polar Bears finished with 36 points in the eight-team meet.

The top finishing relay team for each school scored points in the team standings. Each team could enter as many teams as they wished.

ONU's divers did not compete in the meet.

Senior Lindsey Rayhill led Ohio Northern by swimming on five of its eight top relay teams.

She was part of the 200 medley relay team that was 12th overall in 1:54.54, was on the 200 breast relay team that was eighth in 2:15.05, was on the 500 crescendo relay team that was sixth in 4:48.85, was on the 200 fly relay team that was 12th in 1:55.25 and was on the 400 I.M. relay team that was 10th in 4:24.84.

Freshman Jillian Chapman was on four of ONU's top relay teams (200 medley, 200 breast, 200 fly and 400 I.M.)

"We were proud to be invited to this meet, and it was great to challenge ourselves in the water with some of the nation's top talent," ONU head coach Peggy Ewald said. "It was important to have our eyes opened to that elite level this early in the season."

Denison won the meet with 114 points, Kenyon was second with 112 and Wittenberg was third with 66 points.

The Polar Bears will open the Ohio Athletic Conference portion of their schedule on Saturday at 1 pm against John Carroll at the ONU Sports Center.