ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The St. Mary’s College of Maryland women’s swim team returned to the win column Saturday afternoon by sweeping the Atlantic East Conference tri-meet at Cedar Crest College. St. Mary’s College (7-2, 5-0 AEC) defeated the host Falcons (1-4, 1-3 AEC), 154-69, and handed Gallaudet University (0-4, 0-3 AEC), a 161-62 setback.

Jazlyn Benitez swimming breaststroke at 2021 AEC Championships Credit: Bill Wood

Senior captain Rileigh Krell (Baltimore, Md./Sparrows Point) and sophomore Anna Kidd (Arbutus, Md./Mount de Sales) each claimed three wins to lead the Seahawks on the afternoon.

How It Happened

  • The Seahawks opened up the meet by capturing the 200 medley relay in 2:00.13 behind the efforts of KrellKidd, junior Christina Trnkus (Chevy Chase, Md./Bethesda-Chevy Chase), and senior Christina Bonass (Chestertown, Md./Kent County).
  • St. Mary’s College earned a 1-2 finish in the 100 backstroke as Krell won the event in 1:06.69 followed by sophomore Marissa Fields (Clements, Md./Chopticon) in second in 1:12.69.
  • Krell ended her day with a first-place finish in the 200 backstroke in 2:22.81.
  • It was another 1-2 finish in the 200 breaststroke for the Seahawks as Kidd touched the wall first in 2:40.40 followed by senior captain Bailey Edgren (Canton, Conn./Canton) in second in 2:42.58.
  • Kidd, junior Jazlyn Benitez (Silver Spring, Md./James H. Blake), first-year Tansy Thorogood (Ellicott City, Md./Mt. Hebron), and Fields posted a 1:53.85 to win the 200 freestyle relay.
  • Trnkus won the 50 freestyle in 27.03 while Fields finished third in 29.77.
  • First-year Gabby DeCrisci (Fredericksburg, Va.) was another multiple winner for St. Mary’s College as DeCrisci claimed top honors in the 1000 freestyle in 12:16.34 and then led a 1-2 finish in the 100 freestyle, notching a winning time of 1:03.50 while Bonass placed second in 1:04.84.
  • Thorogood added a second win by taking first in the 100 butterfly in 1:10.28 while Benitez came in second in 1:12.59.
  • Edgren and Bonass went 1-2 in the 100 breaststroke as Edgren won it in 1:15.36 and Bonass was second in 1:17.84.
  • First-year Emma Grimm (Derwood, Md./Magruder) tallied a victory in the 500 freestyle with a time of 6:05.06 while sophomore Julia Milner (Middletown, Md./Middletown) went second in 6:23.64.
  • Milner picked up an individual win in the 200 individual medley in 2:35.76.
  • In the 200 freestyle, Grimm placed second in 2:16.10 followed by sophomore Lilianna Bowman (Westminster, Md./Winters Mill) in third in 2:24.15.

Up Next for the Seahawks

  • Nov. 20 at Washington College (3-3) – Chestertown, Md. – 1:00 p.m.

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