Greyhounds building off first meet

0
196

NAUGATUCK — After swimming against the clock in the preseason, the Naugatuck High girls swim team got the season underway against some real competition Tuesday in Beacon Falls.

The Greyhounds fell to Woodland, 94-81, but head coach Jim McKee was pleased with his team’s overall effort.

“We have been training hard to get ready for the season,” McKee said. “So some of our times reflected that as we were a little worn out. We were a little slower, but I was pleased with our effort.”

Molly Kennelly swam to victory in the 100 backstroke in 1 minute, 10.98 seconds for the Greyhounds (0-1), and Ayana Williams took first in the 100 breaststroke (1:23.54). The 400 freestyle relay squad of Kennelly, Jacqueline Uva, Ayana Williams and Alena Rotatori put up a winning time of 4:36.19.

Katelyn Fortney (50 free, 100 butter fly), Uva (100, 200 freestyle) and Haley Deller (200 IM and 500 freestyle) each finished second in two events.

The 200 freestyle relay team of Meghan Korowotny, Deller, Uva and Lauren Litke finished second in 2:01.67. The 200 medley relay team of Rotatori, Kelly Brodeur, Kayla Bartlett and Emily Sarmiento swam to second in 2:05.92. Rotatori (100 backstroke) and Bartlett (100 breaststroke) both added second-place finishes.

“We are on a mission and the clock will tell us if we are headed in the right direction or not,” McKee said. “If we didn’t train the way we did, we would have swam one race and have been all done.”

“I know we can swim a little faster than we did but that will come with time,” McKee added. “We just need to take it week by week and build from there.”

The Greyhounds had three days before their next meet against Torrington Friday.

“Having two meets a week, all the teams are in the same boat,” McKee said. “I just have to see how the girls respond and bounce back. We are still in the getting-into-shape phase but I was definitely pleased with our effort.”

“It’s good to get the first meet out of the way,” McKee added. “Now we have something to measure up against.”

Naugatuck hosts Torrington on Friday. Next week, the Greyhounds will face Sacred Heart Tuesday and host Oxford Sept. 27.