East girls swimming improves record to 7-0
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Tori Mayer won the 200-yard free (pictured) and 500 free in the Lady Flames' 63-31 road win last Friday over Amherst at Amherst Middle School. Photo by Joe Eberle Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

Williamsville East's girls swimming team improved to 7-0 with road wins over Clarence, 97-88 and Amherst, 63-31, last Tuesday and Friday.

The Clarence meet came down to the last event, the 400 freestyle relay. Trailing 86-85, seniors Janelle Munroe and Tori Mayer, junior Britany O'Dea and sophomore Bailey Woodling joined forces to win the event in 3:48.64 to bring home the victory for East. The four also won the 200 free relay in 1:43.23.

Munroe was a double winner, taking home top honors in the 200 free (1:59.50) and 100 backstroke (1:02.23). Mayer (500 free, 5:39.77), Woodling (100 fly, 1:01.81) and senior Kelsey Bradbury (2:25.57) also won events.

Mayer and Munroe were double winners at Amherst. Mayer won the 200 and 500 free; Munroe was the best in the 50 free and 100 fly. Junior Kristen Ostanski won the 100 back in 1:16.27.

East swims Starpoint, Williamsville South and Pioneer from Wednesday through Friday to close out its regular season dual meets.

Sacred Heart With a 5-1 record, Sacred Heart is having a great season.

"We're actually doing better than what assistant coach Beth Budniak and I assumed," said coach Kristy Michalek. "We lost some seniors who were strong swimmers last year so we didn't know what to expect. We've been pleasantly surprised."

Sacred Heart has defeated Mt. St. Mary's twice, 51-43 and 52-42, as well as Buffalo Seminary, 66-28, Mt. Mercy, 49-39 and Holy Angels, 53-38. The team's only blemish was a 56-35 loss to Nardin.

"We didn't swim bad, Nardin has more depth and is fast," said Michalek.

Junior Laura Savattieri was the only swimmer to win an event for Sacred Heart against Nardin, taking first in the 100 breaststroke. Sophomore Courtney Denk was second.

The rematch is at 7 p.m. on Thursday at Buffalo State College.

Savattieri (100 breast, 50 free, relays) and junior Christina Ruggiero (200 IM, 100 back, relays) have both been within tenths and hundredths of points of breaking school records in their events, Michalek said.

Other swimmers who Michalek felt have performed well during the season are freshmen Sarah Mastrandrea (200 free, relays) and Caroline Niederpruem (freestyle, butterfly), junior Jessica Cichochi (50 free, free in all relays) and sophomores Kristen Forcucci (200, 500 free) and Karalyn Evanco (butterfly in relays).

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com