PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The William Paterson swimming and diving teams completed Day Two of competition at the Metropolitan Championships Feb. 17 at Rutgers' Sonny Werblin Center. The Pioneer women (251 points) were seventh of 20 teams, while the men (238) were eighth of 16 schools.

Freshman Vojtech Karas (Brno, Czech Republic/Luduika Danka) again led the individual efforts for the Pioneers, placing eighth in the “A” Final of the men's 200 freestyle (1:47.35). The 200 medley relay team of Joe Schirrman (Pine Bush, N.Y./Pine Bush), Kirk Smith (West Orange, N.J./West Orange), Karas and Brian Fisher (Forked River, N.J./Lacey Twp.) finished second in the “B” Final (10th overall) with a time of 1:42.36, while David Caputo (Staten Island, N.Y./Curtis) was third in the “B” Final of the 400 IM (4:23.97). Smith placed fourth in the “C” Final of the 100 breaststroke (1:04.85), and Schirrman was seventh in the 100 backstroke “C” Final (59.68).

On the women's side, the 200 medley relay of Grace McKay (Fairlawn, N.J./Fairlawn), Jessica Lyon (Pequannock, N.J./Pequannock), Colleen Takemoto (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) and Cathy Hartwell (Toms River, N.J./Toms River East) touched sixth in the “A” Final (1:54.01). McKay also placed fourth in the “B” Final of the 100 butterfly (1:02.22) and sixth in the “B” Final of the 100 backstroke (1:03.09). Lyon raced to a sixth-place finish in the “B” Final of the 100 breaststroke (1:11.71), while Takemoto was second in the 100 fly “C” Final (1:03.91) and Hartwell was second in the 200 freestyle “C” Final (2:03.83). Traci Dombrowski (Union, N.J./Union) touched sixth in the 200 free “C” Final (2:05.61), Emily Buhler (Mays Landing, N.J./Holy Spirit) finished sixth in the 100 fly “C” Final (1:06.61), and Katelyn Esposito (Vernon, N.J./Vernon Twp.) placed fifth in the 100 back “C” Final (1:04.44).

The Metropolitan Championships will conclude Sunday, Feb. 18.