GREENSBORO, N.C. — The consolation for Bates College junior Sophie Cassily missing the championship final in the women’s 100-yard backstroke was that she was still assured of her 10th All-American honor in the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships.

After placing ninth in the prelims, one spot out of the championship, Cassily won the consolation final in a time of 55.19 seconds to finish ninth overall in the event Friday. That winning time bested her seed time (55.26) and her prelim mark (55.90).

As a top-16 finisher, Cassily captured All-American honors — her third of this year’s championships and 10th of her career.

She added an 11th All-American honor as part of the Bobcats’ 10th-place 800-meter freestyle relay team, which also included Grace Wenger, Natalie Young and Stephanie Tropper.

Fellow Bobcat Marrich Somridhivej earned All-American honors on the men’s side with his 15th-place finish in the 100 breaststroke.

Sarah Palmer placed 22nd in the prelims of the women’s 100 breaststroke.

Bates’ men’s 800 free relay team finished 16th to capture All-American honors. The four swimmers were Max Cory, Mark Gregory, Tim Johnson and John Weigel.

The championships come to a close Saturday in Greensboro.

SOFTBALL
UMF SWEPT: The Beavers (6-4) were handed a pair of losses by the Lasers (5-6) in Newton, Massachusetts.

Lasell blanked UMaine-Farmington 3-0 in the first game, then rallied for a 4-3 victory in the second to secure the sweep.

In the first game, The Lasers opened the scoring with a single run in the third, then added two in the fourth. Brianna Gendreau and Ally Kirck each had two hits for Lasell, with Kirck scoring one of the team’s runs.

Eryn Sheeley, who also scored a run, held the Beavers to one hit — and Abby Wrinn single to open the game.

Mack Bergen pitched 3 2/3 innings for UMF, giving up all three runs and seven of the Lasers’ hits. Carleigh Schievink allowed one hit over the last 2 1/3 innings.

In the second game, Lasell rallied thanks to a three-run fourth.

The Beavers plated their first run of the day with a first-inning RBI single by Oxford Hills graduate Christa Allen.

After the Lasers tied it in the second on Camden Hills grad Alyssa Bland’s RBI single, Maddie Pike gave UMF the lead back in the third with an RBI triple and then made it 3-1 as she came home when Dirigo grad reached on an error.

Bland scored on Abigail Fortin’s two-run double in the fourth that tied the game 3-3, then Fortin scored the go-ahead run on Gendreau’s single.

Fortin pitched a complete game, giving up seven hits. Melissa Mayo took the loss, allowing all four runs and 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings. Rita Benoit finished out the game in the circle with 2 1/3 hitless innings.

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