BALTIMORE, Md. (Nov. 9, 2008) – The Saint Francis swim team defeated the Virginia Military Institute 279-34 but fell to Johns Hopkins 222-108 and Loyola 266-98 at the Thomas Murphy Invitational on Friday and Saturday in Baltimore.

The quartet of Jessica Dunn (Bristow, Va./Seton School) (Bristow, Va./Seton School), Elyse Peterman (Lock Haven, Pa.../Central Mountain), Abi May (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler Area) and Melissa Heintz (Boyertown, Pa./Oley Valley) (Boyertown, Pa./Oley Valley) took third in the 400 yard medley relay with a time of 4:05.70 to start the meet.

Heintz also took third in her first individual event of the day, the 500 yard freestyle. She touched the wall in a time of 5:17.09. Teammate Cara Morgan (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) placed seventh in the event, finishing in a time of 5:24.46. Heintz also racked up a fourth place finish in the 200 yard freestyle with a time of 1:58.15, and also took third in the 100 yard freestyle by finishing in 54.89.

Dunn finished sixth in the 200 yard individual medley with a time of 2:14.99. Kristen Low (Mississauga, Ontario/Cawthra Park S.S) (Mississauga, Ontario/Cawthra Park) also swam a great race, taking eighth in the event in a time of 2:16.88. Dunn also took third in the 400 individual medley later in the meet with a time of 4:40.91.

Elise Merrill (Carlisle, Pa/Big Spring) (Carlisle, Pa./Big Spring) had a great day for the Red Flash, taking second place in the 50 yard freestyle with a time of 24.91. Fellow Red Flash swimmer Blair Kosela (Cresent, Pa/Moon Area) (Crescent, Pa./Moon Area) took eighth in the event, touching the wall in 25.55.

Heintz, Kosela and Dunn teamed up with Kaitlin MacDonald (Olney, Md./Academy of Holy Cross) (Olney, Md./Holy Cross) to take fourth in the 800 yard freestyle relay with a time of 8:11.41.

Merrill, Kosela and Heintz were then joined by Angela Marino (Holidaysburgh, Pa./Holidaysburgh Area) (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg Area) in the 200 yard freestyle relay, where they took third in a time of 1:40.16.

In the 100 yard butterfly, May finished with a time of 1:01.16, placing fourth in the event.

Morgan, one of the fastest distance swimmers in Red Flash history, racked up a second place finish in the 1650 yard freestyle. Her time in the event was 18:19.00. In a strong Red Flash showing, McDonald finished right behind her, taking third in a time of 18:29.90.

The Flash continued their strong showing in the relays, with the team of Dunn, May, Kosela and Chloe Pierre (Valencia, Pa./Mars) (Valencia, Pa./Mars) taking third in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:54.72.

With a second and sixth place finished already under her belt, Dunn won the 200 yard backstroke in a time of 2:08.90. Dunn had previously broken the school record in the event during last week's meet at Bucknell.

The Flash finished off the meet with the team of Heintz, Kosela, Merrill and Dunn taking third in the 400 yard freestyle relay.

The Red Flash, who are now 2-5 this season, will travel to Ohio for the Youngstown State Invitational November 21-23.