Derek Davis

Shea powers Nor'easters past Blazers in the pool

Sara Shea came up big on Senior Day, finishing first in three events to aid in UNE's win

Meet Results

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Senior Sara Shea (Peabody, Mass.) won three individual races to power the University of New England women's swimming team to a 145-116 win over Elms College in a dual meet Saturday afternoon at the Campus Center.

With the victory, the Nor'easters (10-2) notch a double-digit season win-total for the second time in program history. Big Blue enjoys the next two weeks off before heading to the New England Championships February 17-19 in Vermont, as does Elms.

Shea (1:11.44) edged Blazers junior Tessa Dudunake (Northampton, Mass.) by 0.87 seconds in the 100-yard breaststroke to post her closest triumph of the day. She also claimed the 50 breast (33.45) and 200 individual medley (2:22.04) before the day was done.

Junior Amy Miele (Queensbury, N.Y.) added two first-place finishes to the UNE cause, taking the 50 butterfly (28.36) over Dudunake and the 200 freestyle (2:07.92) by 0.42 seconds in front of Elms junior Chalis Bird (Windsor, Mass.).

Blazers sophomore Devon DeGrazia (Westport, Mass.) matched Shea's winning output in the meet with three solo victories to pace the Blazers. She twice touched just ahead of UNE junior Meaghan Arsenault (Methuen, Mass.) in backstroke events -- 30.95 to 31.48 in the 50-yard and 1:06.60 to 1:07.17 in the 100-yard -- and also had a win in the 1,650 free (18:57.47).

Bird contributed two victories of her own to support the visitors, clocking a 6:01.20 in the 500 free and a 59.18 in the 100 free.

UNE sophomore Jenn LaComfora (Worcester, Mass.) was second to Bird in the 100 free by 0.66 seconds (59.84), but also collected a triumph of her own in the 100 fly (1:04.88).

Big Blue senior Lizzie Wareham (Osterville, Mass.) captured the tightest race of the afternoon (50 free), finishing just 0.20 seconds (26.12) before Dudunake touched the wall in second place.

Elms (9-5) opened the meet with an impressive 200 medley relay win (1:59.74 to 1:59.99), and the Nor'easters closed out the day with a victory in the 400 free relay.