WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 17, 2009 – James Madison won 12 of 16 events to earn a pair of dual victories to open the season, topping host Georgetown 187.5-112.5 and VMI 254-21 on Saturday.

"We were excited as a team for our first meet of the season,” stated JMU head coach Samantha Smith.  “The girls did a good job competing with the people next to them and supporting each other through the meet.  Today was a good starting point for us to evaluate and move forward.  We are excited about the win and look forward to improving on what we saw today."

Juniors Lisa Colapietro (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg) and Morgan McCarthy (Newcastle, Del./St. Mark’s) each had three event wins, pairing on the 200 medley relay race and each claiming a pair of individual titles. 

Colapietro finished first in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:08.39 and also claimed the 200 breast in 2:27.25.  McCarthy won the 100 backstroke in 1:00.92 and the 200 in 2:10.31.  Together they swam the first two legs of the 200 medley and were joined by senior P.J. Naber (Chantilly, Va./Chantilly), and junior Layne Eidemiller (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) in a time of 1:50.14.

Junior Jessie Everett (Arlington, Va./Yorktown) also had a pair of individual wins for JMU in the diving events.  She scored a 252.40 in the one-meter board and 260.25 in the three-meter dive.

Four other individuals claimed race titles, including a pair of distance wins by sophomore Lauren Kranz (Clifton, Va./James Robinson) in the 1,000 freestyle in 10:38.10 and sophomore Melissa Helock (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains Fanwood) in the 500 free in 5:13.72.

The other individuals triumphs came in the 50 freestyle in 25.24 by junior Carly Gibson (Bethesda, Md./Academy of the Holy Cross) in her first meet with the Dukes after transferring from Miami (Ohio).  Sophomore Samantha Holland (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) swam the 200 individual medley in 2:12.43.

JMU’s final win of the day came in the 200 free relay with junior Carrie Greene (Midlothian, Va./Granbury), junior Kristen Wolla (Arlington, Va./Yorktown), freshman Andrea Criscuolo (Point Pleasant, N.J./Point Pleasant), and Naber combining for a time of 1:41.29.

Smith added, "We have a lot of newcomers this year so it was good to see them compete for JMU for the first time.  The team came together as a unit and put forth a solid team effort.  I am proud of how our girls performed both in the water and on the boards."

The next meet for the Dukes will be Saturday, Oct. 31 with a noon event at Radford.