FINAL SCORE: Vermont 164, Rhode Island 136 | Results
KINGSTON, R.I. – The University of Vermont women's swimming & diving team improved to 6-3 on the season with a 164-136 victory over Rhode Island on Saturday afternoon at the Tootell Aquatics Center. The Catamounts won nine of the 16 events against the Rams.
 
Sarah Mantz (1:55.45) and Kelly Lennon (1:55.52) were separated by just 0.07 seconds atop the 200-yard freestyle, while Chandler Brandes (10:48.99) and Madeline Blumenfeld (10:54.62) captured the top-two spots in the 1000-yard free. UVM claimed the top-four spots in the 500 free, led by Brandes who won by more than three seconds in 5:15.58. Lennon (5:18.99), Audrey Shenkin (5:19.55), and Mantz (5:19.91) followed.
 
Christa Weaver won a pair of freestyle events for the Catamounts. The senior had the top time in the 50-yard freestyle, winning by less than a quarter of a second over Rhode Island's Porshe Ferrell with a time of 24.31 seconds. Weaver also narrowly edged Mantz by five hundredths of a second in the 100 free with a time of 53.48.
 
Lauren Punger was the champion of the 200 butterfly with a mark of 2:09.00 while Alexy Novelli took third in 2:10.84, one hundredth of a second from second place. Punger was also a third-place finisher in the 200 IM with a mark of 2:14.00.
 
Shannon Cowley collected first place in the 200 breaststroke by nearly a full second with a time of 2:25.72. The sophomore also registered a second-place finish in the 100 breast with a time of 1:07.06.
 
Courtney Gray posted first-place points in the 100 butterfly with a time of 58.67. Dani Rocheleau and Gray were third and fourth respectively in the 100 backstroke with times of 59.50 and 59.96. Rocheleau also took third in the 200 back in 2:10.02.
 
Mantz, Lennon, Gray, and Weaver helped Vermont place second in the 400 free relay in 3:33.98.
 
In the diving events, Maggie Preston had the highest score of 225.08 points in the 3-meter dive and claimed second in the 1-meter with 218.72 points.
 
Vermont hits the road for the Middlebury Invitational next weekend on Jan. 29-30 for its final tune up before the America East Championships. Events are scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. on Saturday at Middlebury Natatorium.