Garden City, NY (Oct. 20, 2011) – The swim teams kick started the season at Adelphi University Thursday.

The rival non-conference Panthers, a Division II power, took first and second in six different events to collect a 52-38 victory, while the women turned in five one-two finishes in a 55-38 defeat of Purchase. Adelphi was paced by Jaclyn Dodenhoff and Ana Galesic who each won two events. Dodenhoff took home victories in the 1,000-yard freestyle (12:04.01) and the 200-yard individual medley (2:30.74), while Galesic won the 200-yard freestyle 2:10.60 and posted the fastest time of the day in the 500-yard freestyle (6:00.58).  

On the men's side, the hosts were led by Corey McKee and William Gerard, who picked up two wins apiece, with McKee posting the fastest time in the 50 (22.49) and 100 freestyle (49.48) and Gerard in the 1,000 yard (11:40.94) and the 500 freestyle (5:35.72). Adelphi also had plenty of single event winners, as Michael Mayer (200 yard freestyle-1:52.38), Kyle Jones (200 yard IM-2:03.68), Steven Gromling (100 yard butterfly-57.02), Karim Harris (100 yard backstroke-1:04.76) and Zach Terzano (100 yard breaststroke-1:02.65) all out touched the competition.

Collectively, Adelphi managed to post the top time in the 200 yard freestyle relay, as McKee, Mayer, Jones and Terzano combined to post a time of 1:32.99.

As for the visiting Panthers, the the women finished second in the 200-yard medley relay, with the hosts jumping out to an early lead in points, taking first and third in the race. The men grabbed a first-place finish in the same event to also start strong. Joshua Nielson (SR/Saratoga Springs, NY), August Cook (JR/Syracuse, NY), Seth Feingersh (SR/Bayside, NY) and Mike Zeffiro (SR/Brant, NY) led the way in that victory.
 
Kamara Lewis (SO/Jamaica, NY) finished first in the 50 freestyle and would later take third in the 100 butterfly.
 
On the men's side, Samir Mekrami (SO/Brooklyn, NY) had a pair of third-place finishes as the Panthers went toe-to-toe with Adelphi in the early going. Cook placed second in the 100 backstroke, while Patricia Fazzino (JR/Bayport, NY) shined in the 500 freestyle, winning the event. Nielson also won the 500 free for the visitors as the Panthers kept pace.
 
Newcomer Shai Schechter (FR/Staten Island, NY) bested the field in the 100 breaststroke (1:22.42) before Purchase captured another late win in the 200 freestyle relay – an accomplishment the women matched. Christina Muller* (SR/Poughkeepsie, NY), Allison Panzironi (FR/Pine Island, NY), Fazzino and Lewis won the race in 1:57.39. Mekrami, Cook, Zeffiro and Feingersh won in 1:44.31.
 
It was a strong showing for both teams in starting the campaign against a very competitive non-conference opponent.