PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The women's swimming and diving team closed out the Metropolitan Championships in the top 10, ending the weekend 8^th of the 12 Division III teams in the lineup and 9th of 15 teams overall.  The Pioneers finished the weekend with 306 cumulative points by the end of Feb. 23.
 
TOP PERFORMERS:

• The finals started off with the 1650 free distance race.  Sophomore Leah Santonastaso (Newton, N.J./Kittatinny Regional) posted a time of 21:28.32 for 18^th place while junior Sarah Myers (Hamilton, N.J./Nottingham) finished shortly after in 21^st place with a pace of 23:25.04.
• Sophomore Taylor Friedman (South Amboy, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial) touched 7^th in the C Final of the 200 back (2:25.79).
• Megan Hoopes (Westmont, N.J./Haddon Twp.) notched a personal best in the 200 fly (2:21.51).  The sophomore's time placed her 4^th in the B Final.
• Senior Anna Boyton (Sewell, N.J./Clearview Regional) also competed in the 200 fly, touching 2^nd in the C Final (2:33.87).
• Two Pioneers dove in the three-meter event.  Junior Sara Haller (Cupertino, Calif./Monta Vista) earned 349.50 points for 4^th place and senior Ashley Lawler (Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional) posted a score of 297.96 to rank 8^th.  Haller's score was a career best.
• The three-day weekend concluded with the 400 free relay.  Senior Mariah Jenkins (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Saviour) (1:16.31), freshman Stephany Bolanos (Perth Amboy, N.J./Academy for Allied Health & Biomedical Sciences) (59.28), Boyton (1:02.72) and Santonastaso (1:04.35) touched fifth in the B Final with a time of 4:22.66.

IN THE NUMBERS:

• Freshman Makeda Moore (Plainfield, N.J./Plainfield Academy for the Arts) produced a personal-best performance in the 100 free during prelims by touching the wall in 1:09.17.
• Jillian Starace (Toms River/Toms River East) recorded a new personal best during prelims.  The freshman's 2:35.45 pace in the 200 back was an improvement from earlier in the season.

 
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