NORTON, Mass. – Despite a pair of wins from both senior Emily Niemiec (Meriden, Conn./Francis T. Maloney HS) and junior Kate Kaduboski (Dedham/Dedham HS), the Bentley University women's swimming and diving team came up short in its season-opener, dropping a 154-146 decision to host Wheaton College Saturday afternoon.

With Wheaton owning a 143-140 lead, the meet came down to the final event, the 200 yard freestyle relay. The Lyons prevailed in the relay, besting the Falcons by 1.01 seconds with a time of 1:40.89 and picking up 11 points to Bentley's six.

Niemiec, coming off a record-breaking junior year, was the first to the wall in both the 100 breaststroke (1:09.33) and the 200 breast (2:30.72). She also swam the final leg of the 200 free relay in 24.72 seconds, a meet-best.

Kaduboski's wins came in the 200 backstroke (2:10.06) and the 200 individual medley (2:12.55). Another veteran with a win was senior Anne Warren (Ellicott City, Md./Mt. Hebron HS) in the 200 butterfly (2:14.26).

Two newcomers who impressed for Bentley were sophomore Paige McNeill (Branford, Conn./Branford HS) and freshman Julia Ball (Phoenix, Md./Roland Park County School). Ball took first in the 1000 free in 11:16.42 and was also second in the 500 free. McNeil, a transfer from Wagner, was victorious in the 100 butterfly (1:00.56) and also turned in a pair of seconds (100 free, 200 free).

Bentley returns to action next Saturday with a 1 pm meet at Le Moyne College.