SALISBURY, N.C. - In their first dual meet of the 2023-24 season, the Lenoir-Rhyne Women's Swimming Team was handed a 214-46 defeat by Catawba. 

Ella Penny, the sophomore from Greer, S.C., was the lone Bear to finish second place or higher in any event on the evening with a runner-up time of 1:57.57 in 200-yard freestyle. Penny also recorded a third-place time of 2:13.12 in the 200-yard backstroke. 

The Bears were able to register a pair of third place finishes in the two relay events. In the 200-yard individual medley relay, Penny, Devin Poteat, Ann-Cathrine Beissel, and Anna Buchert finished with a time of 1:57.03. Then in the 200-yard freestyle relay, Penny, Katherine Hudson, Poteat, and Beissel combined for 1:45.14. 

A couple of freshmen had solid performances in their first career dual meet. Buchert, from Spartanburg, S.C., finished third in both the 500-yard and 1000-yard freestyle races with times of 5:27.88 and 10:58.09, respectively.  

As for Beissel, the Wuppertal, Germany native finished third in 200-yard butterfly with a 2:25.03 posting. 

The Lenoir-Rhyne Women's Swimming Team will return to the pool on Friday, Oct. 20 for a road dual meet against Mars Hill.