Ewing, NJ — After a promising morning session, the State University of New York at New Paltz swimming team returned to the finals with 22 spots secured for the top 16 over five events.
 
The Hawks began the fourth of six sessions with the 200-yard medley relay. The women's relay of junior Chelsea Angulas, sophomore Lindsay Kranitz, and seniors Jaimie Kaefer and Nicole Lee placed third with a time of one minute, 51.37 seconds, while a second relay of freshmen Victoria Bogdanski and Grace Rocks and seniors Whitney Knowlton-Wardle and Degen Mariniello finished in 13th (2:01.12). The men's relay comprising of freshmen Akiva Garfield, Mitch Chappell, Luke Gamboli and sophomore Nolan West finished eighth (1:40.87) and were followed by sophomores Matt Pero and Graham Cono and seniors Yaya Toure and Rory Neal for 10th (1:42.99).
 
Natalia Guinta was the only female Hawk to swim the 400-yard individual medley, dropping 3.89 seconds from prelims for a personal best and an 11th place finish (5:02.60). Senior Katie Donlevy (59.64), sophomore Tessa Griger (1:01.94) and Kaefer (1:05.21) touched the wall 3rd, 11th and 16th, respectively, in the 100-yard butterfly. Kranitz secured fifth in the 100-yard breast with a time of 1:08.80.
 
The women dominated the 100-yard backstroke. Angulas won the event (57.92), followed by Lee in third (1:00.71), Griger in fifth (1:02.00), Kaefer in 11th (1:03.22) and Guinta in 15th (1:04.96).
 
Senior Joe Galante and freshman Ethan Bonney completed the 400-yard individual medley in 13th and 15th with times of 4:27.72 and 4:30.66, respectively. Gamboli was the only male Hawk to compete in the top eight, finishing fourth (53.77). Galante returned for another 13th place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:03.89), followed by Garfield for 14th (1:03.94). West and Toure placed 10th and 12th for the 100-yard backstroke with times of 55.71 and 56.69, respectively.
 
The men finished the 200-yard freestyle with consecutive finishes by senior Matt Kessler in 12th (1:48.89), senior Barrett Celecki in 13th (1:49.11), freshmen Jared Finn in 14th (1:49.74) and Chappell in 15th (1:49.86).
 
SUNY New Paltz added another competition to the meet before the last event to raise spirits after a long day: a rock, paper, scissors tournament. Celecki was the champion until the TCNJ men's team took notice and claimed the title after challenging the winner.
 
The Hawks returned their focus back to the pool for the 800-yard freestyle relay to finish the night. The women's relay of Knowlton-Wardle, Donlevy, Mariniello and Kaefer was third to the wall (8:07.44), followed by Rocks, junior Sarah Crespo, Lee and Griger in eighth (8:32.41). The men finished the event 7th and 8th, with relays comprising of Finn, Celecki, Galante and Kessler (7:18.98) and Bonney, Chappell, junior Tim Stecher and West (7:20.60).
 
SUNY New Paltz will complete the last day of the TCNJ Invitational Sunday with the first session beginning at 9 a.m. and finals at 3 p.m.

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