ALFRED, NY – After what was a long, three-meet week, the Alfred University women's swimming team ended it with a 171-86 loss to Empire 8 opponent, Hartwick College on Saturday in the McLane Natatorium.
 
The Saxons hosted Division II Le Moyne earlier in the week on Tuesday before traveling up to Utica University on Friday and closed out the week with another home dual meet against the Hawks. AU was 1-2 on the week after taking a standout win at Utica.
 
"I was genuinely very pleased with what I saw today. Given that we've had three meets in five days and have had a tough couple weeks of workouts," Head Coach Brian Striker '00 said. "Overall,  we performed better than I expected we would. All considered, I think they're looking forward to a week of regular training and are excited for our last dual meet next weekend."
 
Ivy Vallely (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster) was the only senior on the women's team recognized on Saturday, prior to the first event. She was also the first Saxon woman to best a Hartwick swimmer as she finished second in the 1,000-yard freestyle with a time of 11:58.17, defeating two Hawks and leading teammate Macie Francisco (Vestal, NY/Vestal) to a fourth place finish with a time of 12:35.02.
 
Mia Spencer (Omaha, NE/Omaha Central) and Maureen Derry (Asheville, NC/Asheville) went two-three in the 100-yard breaststroke as Spencer swam a 1:16.81 with Derry exactly one second behind her. Kamila Roman (Mamaroneck, NY/Mamaroneck) followed with a second place finish of her own in the 200-yard butterfly, clocking in a time of 2:35.00.
 
Sarah Anderson (Wayne, PA/Radnor) led Alexandra Simmons (Danbury, CT/Danbury) in the 50-yard freestyle as the duo placed second and third with times of 27.17 and 27.41, respectively. Roman was the first Saxon to claim a win as she swam a 57.84 in the 100-yard freestyle while Anderson followed in third with a time of 1:01.92.
 
Derry earned second place in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:28.46, just before Spencer claimed second in the 200-breaststroke with a time of 2:45.20. Roman then earned second in the 100-fly (1:06.98) before Spencer earned second in the 200-yard individual medley (2:24.66).
 
AU closed out the meet with a 1:55.28 in the 200-yard freestyle relay to take second with the group of Erika Purdy (Syracuse, NY/Cicero North), Eden Vallely (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster), Derry and Ivy.
 
The Saxons will next close out their dual-meet schedule when they travel to Ithaca College on Saturday, January 21 at 1:00pm. After that, they turn towards their taper season before the Empire 8 Championships at Webster Aquatics Center, starting February 15.