COLCHESTER, Vt. - The Norwich University women's swimming & diving team returned to action on Saturday morning, collecting three event victories in a 207-78 setback to Saint Michael's College at the Ross Sports Center Natatorium.

Reilly Laitala (Sterling, Mass.) remained a standout force on the boards, sweeping both diving events for the Cadets.  She opened her day with a 28-point margin of victory on the 3-meter board, scoring 170.20 to top Saint Michael's Ashley Silveira.  Laitala followed with another win on the 1-meter board, earning a 202.45 to outpace a field of four, finishing nearly 28 points clear of the nearest competitor.

Burgan Danger (Wadsworth, Ohio) delivered Norwich's lone swim victory with a thrilling finish in the 100-yard backstroke, edging the Purple Knights' Livy Waranis by just six-hundredths of a second (1:08.85 to 1:08.91).

Delaney Allen (Gibsonia, Pa.) picked up a pair of second-place efforts, finishing runner-up in both the 50-yard freestyle (26.45) and the 500-yard freestyle (5:51.81).  The Cadets also recorded a strong showing in the 200-yard freestyle relay, as the team of Maria Piekarczyk (Dudley, Mass.), Alannah Kelliher (Middleboro, Mass.), Deanna Parot (San Diego, Calif.), and Allen took second in 1:49.48, just two seconds behind the top Saint Michael's quartet.

Additional top-three finishes came from Danger (3rd - 2:28.92, 200 back), Vivian Buntin (Middlebury, Conn.) in both breaststroke events (3rd - 1:21.09 in the 100 and 2:58.25 in the 200), Parot (3rd - 1:02.54, 100 free), and Anna Gosselin (Lisbon, Conn.), who claimed third in the 200 free (2:13.69) and fourth in the 200 IM.

"We competed with heart today," said Head Coach Jennifer Cournoyer.  "We were missing some of our teammates and recovering from a busy week, but it is always rewarding to see the team race with passion and intensity.  We did that today.  Our focus now shifts to getting a bit of rest before next weekend's invitational and hoping for some strong times."

LEADERS:

• 200 Yard Medley Relay
  • Burgan Danger (Wadsworth, Ohio), Delaney Allen (Gibsonia, Pa.), Maria Piekarczyk (Dudley, Mass.), Deanna Parot (San Diego, Calif.)
    • 2nd, 2:02.73
• 1000 Yard Freestyle
  • Ashley Morin (Dracut, Mass.)
    • 4th, 12:52.37
• 200 Yard Freestyle
  • Anna Gosselin (Lisbon, Conn.)
    • 3rd, 2:13.69
• 100 Yard Backstroke
  • Burgan Danger
    • 1st, 1:08.85
• 100 Yard Breaststroke
  • Vivian Buntin (Middlebury, Conn.)
    • 3rd, 1:21.09
• 50 Yard Freestyle
  • Delaney Allen
    • 2nd, 26.45
• 3 Meter Diving
  • Reilly Laitala (Sterling, Mass.)
    • 1st, 170.20
• 100 Yard Freestyle
  • Deanna Parot
    • 3rd, 1:02.54
• 200 Yard Backstroke
  • Burgan Danger
    • 3rd, 2:28.92
• 200 Yard Breaststroke
  • Vivian Buntin
    • 3rd, 2:58.25
• 500 Yard Freestyle
  • Delaney Allen
    • 2nd, 5:51.81
• 100 Yard Butterfly
  • Ruby Knoth (Olympia, Wash.)
    • 4th, 1:28.55
• 1 Meter Diving
  • Reilly Laitala
    • 1st, 202.45
• 200 Yard IM
  • Anna Gosselin
    • 4th, 2:38.25
• 200 Yard Freestyle Relay
  • Maria Piekarczyk, Alannah Kelliher (Middleboro, Mass.), Deanna Parot, Delaney Allen
    • 2nd, 1:49.48

Norwich will head to SUNY Potsdam next weekend for the two-day North Country Invitational, set to begin Friday, Nov. 21, at 4:00 p.m., and continue through Saturday, Nov. 22.