NEW ROCHELLE, NY – The men's and women's swimming teams of Monmouth University were defeated by Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opponent Iona College on Friday night, as they wrapped up the first half of their regular season. On the men's side, the Gaels took the 118-66 win over the Hawks, and Iona's women's team capped it off by defeating the Hawks 123-53.

Monmouth's Sam Lynch (Ocean, NJ/Ocean Township) once again led the team, winning three events on the night and raising his season total to six wins in just three meets. Lynch has convincingly won all six individual events he has entered this year. He secured his first win on Friday in the men's 100-yard individual medley, coming in at 54.89. Four events later, the Ocean, NJ native won the men's 100-yard butterfly with a time of 51.48 and edging the runner-up by 2.75 seconds. Lynch continued his success later in the night, as he won the men's 100-yard backstroke with a time of 53.47 seconds.

“Sam continued his great start to the season with three individual event wins in impressive fashion,” said Monmouth head coach Matt Nunnally.

After Iona won the first seven events, Monmouth was narrowly beaten in the eighth and ninth events. Freshman Mitch Ianneillo (Cape May, NJ/Wildwood Catholic) came in third place in the men's 50-yard freestyle and was just 0.42 seconds away from the win. In the next event, sophomore Anne Skimmons (Point Pleasant, NJ/Point Pleasant Borough) nearly won the women's 100-yard individual medley with a time of 1:02.34, which was 0.64 seconds behind the winner. Skimmons once again pushed for a win during the women's 100-yard butterfly, but came up 1.94 seconds short with a time of 1:03.05.

The men's 100-yard freestyle was a tight race, as Mitch Ianneillo placed third with a time of 51.06 and sophomore Michael Lanigan (Marlboro, NJ/Marlboro) placed fourth just behind him with a time of 54.54. Ianneillo was 1.79 seconds away from his first win as a member of the Hawks.

Junior Billy Lyons (Sewell, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) had a nice showing in the men's 100-yard breaststroke, finishing in 1:07.19 which was just 4.54 seconds behind the winner.

Nearly every one of Monmouth's swimmers recorded their best times of the year Friday night, including Jessica Arias (200-yard free), Nolan Wild (200-yard free and 500-yard free), Jessica Sacco (50-yard free), Joey Kulka (50-yard free), Mitch Simmer (100-yard fly), Brendan Pack (100-yard fly), Kaitlyn Negron (100-yard free), Samantha Palumbo (100-yard free), Alexis Knowles (100-yard free), Michael Lanigan (100-yard free), and Savannah Moley (100-yard back).

“The team continues to make steady positive progress, which was reflected in the number of personal best times swam tonight,” added Coach Nunnally. “The time improvements are a direct result of the hard work the team has been putting in at practice.”

The Hawks are three meets down with three to go before the MAAC Championships, starting with Manhattan, Siena, and LIU on November 21. Monmouth will then host its first home meet in decades on January 23 against Saint Peter's before hosting Rider three days later on January 26.

@MonmouthSwim -- #FlyHawks