Women's swimmers leading on day 1 of Amby Leger

(FREDERICTON, NB) The 2019 Atlantic University Sport swimming season is underway, and Acadia is leading the combined team and men's team standings after day one of the Amby Legere Invitational, at the University of New Brunswick. 

Acadia swimmers won four of the 18 events on day one, and finished second or third in at least nine others. 

Brett Liem (Bedford, NS) and Kelsea Vessey (Orleans, ON) led Acadia, winning the men's 100 metre breaststroke and women's 100 metre butterfly respectively. 

"We're pretty pleased with both the guys and the girls," said Acadia head coach Gary MacDonald. "The guys, because we're leading the meet… and that's never happened before." 

Dalhousie's Isabel Sarty (Halifax, NS) won twice, taking the women's 50 and 100 metre freestyle events. 

Sarty's Tigers teammate, Victoria MacDonald (Sackville, NS), won the women's 50 and 100 metre breaststrokes, while Dal's Reagan Crowell (Lakeville, NB) was first in the women's 400 metre individual medley. 

UNB swimmers had a good day in their home pool. 

Leah Smal (Fredericton, NB) won the women's 200 metre backstroke and freestyle events. 

"It felt good for only a month or so into the season," said Smal. "It takes time to put in all those metres and work that we still have to do, but it's a good starting point, for everyone, for sure." 

The Reds Noah Horwood (Fredericton, NB) won the men's 50 metre freestyle and finished second in the men's 100 metre breaststroke, just three-tenths of a second behind the winner, while Erik Staeben (Fredericton, NB) won the men's 100 metre butterfly. 

UNB's Alexie Sanford (New Maryland, NB) was second in the women's 50 metre free. Nikki Connors (Fredericton, NB) was second in the women's 100 metre breaststroke and Eric Meng (Fredericton, NB) was the runner-up in the men's 50 free. 

"We've done a really good job to open up," said Reds head coach Marta Belsh. "We've done a good job with some of our technical skills. I'm really happy, so far, with how we've executed." 

Mount Allison's Noah Mascoll-Gomes (Montreal, QC) won both the men's 100 and 200 metre freestyle races. 

After the first day of competition, Dal leads the women's team standings, 162 points up on Acadia, with UNB and the Mounties third and fourth respectively. 

Acadia is atop the men's standings, 165 points ahead of the Tigers. UNB and Mount A are third and fourth. 

In the combined team standings, Acadia holds a slim three-point lead on Dal, with the Reds and Mounties well back in third and fourth. 

"It's a step in the right direction," said MacDonald, about Acadia's lead. "It doesn't happen very often against Dal, they're a very tough team." 

The final day of the 2019 Amby Legere Invitational goes Sunday, at 10:00am.