POTSDAM, N.Y. - The Norwich University women's swimming & diving team earned a fourth-place finish out of five programs over two days of competition at the North Country Invitational, hosted by SUNY Potsdam on Friday and Saturday.

The Cadets racked up 346.5 points to finish just behind Roberts Wesleyan University (363 points) in the team standings.  Saint Michael's College captured the team title on both the men's and women's sides.

Norwich's top highlights came across all areas of the pool, including diving, sprint freestyle, backstroke, and relay events.  Delaney Allen (Gibsonia, Pa.) continued her consistent form with three individual top-four finishes.

Reilly Laitala (Sterling, Mass.) claimed a pair of podium finishes on the diving boards, taking third in both the 1-meter (209.35) and 3-meter (214.50) competitions.

Allen led Norwich in the sprint free events, placing fourth in the 50-yard freestyle (26.07), third in the 100 free (56.18), and third again in the 200 free (2:03.41).  She also played a key role in all four top-five Cadet relay teams, including the 200-yard freestyle and medley squads of Allen, Burgan Danger (Wadsworth, Ohio), Maria Piekarczyk (Dudley, Mass.), and Alannah Kelliher (Middleboro, Mass).

Danger added a pair of strong backstroke performances, placing third in the 100 back (1:07.44) and fourth in the 200 back (2:26.78).  She also helped the Cadets to a fourth-place finish in the 400-yard medley relay (4:24.92) and a third-place showing in the 200 medley relay (2:00.44).

Piekarczyk chipped in a ninth-place effort in the 100-yard butterfly (1:07.23), while Vivian Buntin (Middlebury, Conn.) placed fourth in the 100 breaststroke (1:16.32) and sixth in the 200 breast (2:51.29).

In distance free, Anna Gosselin (Lisbon, Conn.) finished fourth in the 1650-yard freestyle (20:29.37) and eighth in the 500 free (5:44.50), while Kylie Farris (Leander, Texas) earned a ninth-place finish in the 200 IM (2:36.05).

"It was thrilling to be back at Potsdam's North Country Invite," said Head Coach Jennifer Cournoyer.  "We saw some good improvement and learned a lot.  You can feel a good vibe that we took a step in the right direction this weekend!"

Norwich closed the meet with a fifth-place finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay, as Farris, Danger, Gosselin, and Allen clocked a time of 4:03.11.

LEADERS:

• 400 Yard Medley Relay
  • Burgan Danger (Wadsworth, Ohio), Vivian Buntin (Middlebury, Conn.), Maria Piekarczyk (Dudley, Mass.), Delaney Allen (Gibsonia, Pa.)
    • 4th, 4:24.92
• 500 Yard Freestyle
  • Anna Gosselin (Lisbon, Conn.)
    • 8th, 5:44.50
• 200 Yard IM
  • Kylie Farris (Leander, Texas)
    • 9th, 2:36.05
• 50 Yard Freestyle
  • Delaney Allen
    • 4th, 26.07
• 3 Meter Diving
  • Reilly Laitala (Sterling, Mass.)
    • 3rd, 214.50
• 200 Yard Backstroke
  • Burgan Danger
    • 4th, 2:26.78
• 100 Yard Butterfly
  • Maria Piekarczyk
    • 9th, 1:07.23
• 100 Yard Breaststroke
  • Vivian Buntin
    • 4th, 1:16.32
• 200 Yard Freestyle Relay
  • Delaney Allen, Burgan Danger, Maria Piekarczyk, Alannah Kelliher (Middleboro, Mass.)
    • 3rd, 1:46.46
• 200 Yard Medley Relay
  • Burgan Danger, Delaney Allen, Maria Piekarczyk, Alannah Kelliher
    • 3rd, 2:00.44
• 1650 Yard Freestyle
  • Anna Gosselin
    • 4th, 20:29.37
• 1 Meter Diving
  • Reilly Laitala
    • 3rd, 209.35
• 100 Yard Freestyle
  • Delaney Allen
    • 3rd, 56.18
• 200 Yard Breaststroke
  • Vivian Buntin
    • 6th, 2:51.29
• 100 Yard Backstroke
  • Burgan Danger
    • 3rd, 1:07.44
• 200 Yard Freestyle
  • Delaney Allen
    • 3rd, 2:03.41
• 400 Yard Freestyle Relay
  • Kylie Farris, Burgan Danger, Anna Gosselin, Delaney Allen
    • 5th, 4:03.11

The Cadets will return to the pool on Saturday, Jan. 10, for a dual meet at Keene State College in Keene, N.H.  Start time is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.  Norwich then returns to Goodyear Pool on Saturday, Jan. 17, for a Senior Day dual meet with Plymouth State University.