Westminster, Md. – Senior captains Cara Machlin (Rockville, Md./Walter Johnson) and Zoe McIlmail (Frederick, Md./Urbana) each picked up three gold medals as St. Mary's College of Maryland women's swimming notched their second consecutive victory with a come-from-behind 52-43 road triumph over McDaniel College.

The Seahawks (5-4) found themselves behind 24-19 following the completion of five events. St. Mary's claimed its first lead with a 1-2 finish in the 150 butterfly as Machlin captured the even in 1:39.47 followed by sophomore Rachel Sonnenberg (Derwood, Md./Magruder) in second with a time of 1:42.98, giving the Seahawks a 27-25 advantage.

St. Mary's stretched its lead to 44-35 through the end of nine events as the Seahawks collected two additional first-place wins in the 100 freestyle and the 500 freestyle. McIlmail touched the wall first in the 100 freestyle in 55.69 followed by sophomore Elizabeth Straathof (Bethesda, Md./Walter Johnson) in second (56.57). In the 500 freestyle, Machlin finished first in 5:28.74 while first-year Elizabeth Valenti (Gaithersburg, Md./Quince Orchard) came in third (5:40.84).

McDaniel (0-4) closed the gap to 45-43 with a 1-2 finish in the 150 breaststroke. However, the foursome of McIlmail, first-year Samantha Schoenecker (Dallas, Texas/Woodrow Wilson), first-year Hailley Baughman (Lineboro, Md./Manchester Valley), and Straathof tallied seven points with a first-place finish in the final event of the meet – the 200 freestyle relay.

Machlin's third gold medal of the meet came in the 1,000 freestyle as she won the event in 11:12.64, giving her 15 points for the meet. McIlmail also nabbed 15 points for the Seahawks as her third first-place finish came in the 150 freestyle, winning the event in 1:27.87.

Valenti paced St. Mary's in the 200 individual medley with a first-place finish in 2:20.39 while senior Karlie Straight (Ocean City, Md./Stephen Decatur) placed third (2:24.16).

Straathof took second in the 50 freestyle to lead the Seahawks with a time of 25.96 while Straight was the team's top finisher in the 150 backstroke with a second-place finish in 1:42.28. Baughman claimed a third-place finish in the 150 breaststroke with a time of 1:55.50.

The Seahawks will be back in the pool tomorrow, Saturday, November 21 as they host SUNY Delhi in a non-conference dual meet at 12:00 p.m.

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