BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Sophomore Cailey Simard (Haverhill, Mass.) broke her own school record in the three-meter diving competition to lead the Bridgewater State University women's swimming and diving team on Saturday at the BSU Invitational held at the Moriarty Pool.
The Bears placed first out of seven teams at the 21-event meet with 698 points as they easily outdistanced second-place Westfield State University (321 pts.).
Simard, who swept the diving events, posted a score of 306.45 points on the three-meter board to eclipse her previous BSU standard of 305.75 points set last season (Jan. 28) in a meet against Babson College. Simard, who is currently ranked first in all of Division III in three-meter diving for a six-dive event, also posted a score of 284.55 points on the one-meter plank.
All told, the Bears placed first in 12 of the 21 events at the meet including both relays. The BSU men's and women's teams combined for 145 season-best times or scores.
Senior Jenna Maxim (Lakeville, Mass.), junior Samantha White (Plymouth, Mass.), senior Hannah Geoffrion (Barnstable, Mass.) and junior Brynn Murray (Chelmsford, Mass.) opened the meet with a victory in the 400 medley relay (4:20.32).
Maxim, Murray, sophomore Emily Bradford (Pittsfield, Mass.) and junior Brianna Matte (Cumberland, R.I.) closed out the meet with a win in in the 400 freestyle relay (3:57.06).
Maxim added three individual event triumphs as she captured top honors in the 100 backstroke (1:03.21), 200 backstroke (2:19.61) and 50 backstroke (30.14).
Matte also won multiple individual events placing first in both the 100 freestyle (57.63) and 200 individual medley (2:24.22).
The Bears also received wins from Murray in the 200 freestyle (2:05.74), Geoffrion in the 100 butterfly (1:05.78) and Jule Remson in the 100 individual medley (1:08.74).
Freshman Ava Anderson (Lynn, Mass.) bettered the 200-point barrier in the one-meter diving competition for the first time in her career as she posted a score of 201.65 points to place second at the meet. Anderson also recorded a career-best mark of 177.55 points on the three-meter board.
The Bears are off until Saturday, January 20th (noon) when they travel to Brandeis University for a tri-meet with the host Judges and Keene State College.