ALLIANCE, Ohio – Mount Union defeated Hiram today in the Hammond Natatorium 178-38.

The Purple Raiders were led by senior Dana Lautenschleger (Solon/Solon) as she won all four of her events. Lautenschleger won both her individual events as she placed first in the 100-yard freestyle and the 200-yard freestyle with times of 57.85 and 2:01.80. 

A team effort by Mount Union was shown as they won both relays as well. Joining Lautenschleger on the 200-yard medley relay was fellow senior Amy Strawser (Strongsville/Strongsville), sophomore Elise Pichola (Rocky River/Rocky River) and freshman Lauren Stajcar (Strongsville/Strongsville) with a time of 1:57.62. Also winning the 400-yard freestyle relay was Lautenschleger, and fellow seniors Jenna Kassinger (Silver Lake/Cuyahoga Falls), Ann Zielasko (Silver Lake/Archbishop Hogan) and Riley Gundlach (New Albany/New Albany) with a time of 4:02.14. Stajcar, Kassinger, Strawser and Pichola won individual events on the day as well. Stajcar won the 100-yard breaststroke (1:12.14) while Kassinger won the 50-yard freestyle (26.80). Mount also swept both butterfly events as Strawser went a 2:36.34 in the 200-yard butterfly and PIchola went 1:05.38.

Also winning events was Lauren Oktavec (Brunswick/Brunswick) as she won the 100-yard backstroke with a 1:02.41 and the 500-yard freestyle with a 5:37.58. Megan Leibensperger (Uniontown/Green) won the 1000-yard freestyle (11:51.93) while Sarah Gonda (Boardman/Boardman) won the 200-yard backstroke (2:24.38). Junior Regina Saxon (Hudson/Hudson) took first in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:35.64. Erin Bain (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) won the 200-yard IM with a time of 2:27.78. Freshman Sarah Hrycyk (Massillon/Jackson) won both 1-meter diving events posting a score of 160.85 and 122.35.

Next up, the Purple Raiders travel to Westminster, Pennsylvania to compete in the Westminster Relays Meet October 27.