HOBOKEN, N.J. (October 17, 2009) – The Stevens Institute of Technology women's swimming team cruised to a victory in its season-opener for the second straight year, downing Montclair State University, 142-111, in a men's and women's dual-meet at the De Baun Aquatic Center in Hoboken, N.J. Freshman Marissa Douglas set a new pool record in her first collegiate meet, posting a time of 2:16.31 in the 200-yard backstroke.

The 200-yard medley relay got Stevens off on the right foot as the Ducks took first and second in the event. The team of sophomore Andrea Sturniolo, senior captain Stephanie Miller, junior Laura Barito, and sophomore Hayley Hatfield placed first with a time of 1:53.94, and senior Gabrielle Czernik, sophomore Jamie Jeffreys, freshman Alexandra Coffaro, and freshman Allison Henning finished second (1:58.37).

Junior Amanda Nauman earned a first-place finish with her time of 11:05.34 in the 1000-yard freestyle and sophomore Kimberly McCaffrey was second, touching at 11:25.75.

Douglas won the 200-yard freestyle, carding a 2:00.32, and sophomores Sian Pearson and Cailin Grunewald took second and third with times of 2:01.15 and 2:04.59, respectively. Czernik and Sturniolo were first and third in the 100-yard backstroke (1:05.45, 1:06.63) as Miller took the top-spot in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:11.23.

Pearson (2:13.80) and Nauman (2:23.17) were one-two in the 200-yard butterfly as Barito and Hatfield were first and second in the 50-yard freestyle (24.60, 26.18).

Barito and freshman Allison Henning took first and second in the 100-yard freestyle (53.97, 57.23), and Douglas, McCaffrey, and Sturniolo earned one, two, and three with times of 2:16.91, 2:22.55, and 2:24.05 in the 200-yard backstroke.

Miller carded a 2:35.60 to win the 200-yard breaststroke and Czernik placed second with a time of 2:39.54 in the last event the Ducks scored in. Stevens secured the points needed to clinch the win in the 10th event so it swam the last several races of the afternoon in exhibition.

Pearson's time of 5:18.13 in the 500-yard freestyle would have been a winner as would have Coffaro's 1:04.46 in the 100-yard butterfly.

Stevens will return to competitive action when it visits cross-river rival New York University on October 24 at 1 p.m.