PHILADELPHIA – Opening up the 2022-23 campaign at home, the University of Pennsylvania women's swimming and diving team provided strong swims despite a 177-123 defeat to Columbia Friday evening at Sheerr Pool.
 
The Quakers were paced by Anna Kalandadze and Vanessa Chong, who both racked up a pair of first-place finishes. Penn closed out the night with a victory in the 400-freestyle relay, but couldn't muster enough points in the end to cut down the deficit.
 
Quaker Notemeal
*An NCAA qualifier last season, Kalandadze opened up her 2022-23 campaign by finishing first in both the 1000-yard freestyle (10:03.22) and the 500 free (4:55.90). She edged defending Ivy champion Catherine Buroker in the 1000 by just over a second at 10:03.22.
 
*Chong picked up victories in the 100 butterfly (55.74) as well as the 200 IM (2:01.41). She also placed second in the 200 fly (2:00.52), just ahead of teammate Joy Jiang (2:01.69).
 
*The quartet of Abby Wickersham, Anna Moehn, Amber Smith and Margot Kaczorowski closed out the meet with a win in the 400 freestyle relay (3:27.11). They finished just ahead of two Columbia relay teams to claim the victory.
 
*Both Amber Smith and Izzy Pytel came out of the night with two second-place swims. Smith swam a 57.63 in the 100 back and a 55.76 in the 100 fly, while Pytel clocked in at 1:05.57 in the 100 breast and 2:21.92 in the 200 breast.
 
*On the boards, Sadie Howard (253.20) and Olivia Francella (251.70) finished in second and third place, respectively, in the one-meter dive. Francella also registered a second-place finish in the three-meter with a score of 277.66.

*Penn's defeat to Columbia is its fourth in a row dating back to the 2018-19 season. The Quakers have not won a season-opening meet since a 152.5-147.5 win over the Lions in New York on Nov. 3, 2017.
 
Up Next
Villanova travels the Main Line to University City on Wednesday to take on the Quakers at 5 p.m. from Sheerr Pool.