KEUKA PARK, NY- The Wheaton College synchronized swimming team posted its best East Collegiate Regional Championship finish in six years, standing second among eight teams when the two-day competition came to an end on Sunday at Keuka College's Ayers Pool.

The Lyons, who totaled 84 points, had placed third each of the past four years after tying for second in 2004 and most recently taking second outright in 2003. Canisius College outscored the Blue and White with a meet-best 99 points, while Keuka notched 76 to grab third. Wheaton scored critical points with a pair of top-four placements in both the duet and trio competitions while falling just shy of Canisius' top team routine.

In trio, junior Laura Montes (San Juan, PR/Academia San Jose) joined freshmen Christiana Butera (San Diego, CA/Academy of Our Lady of Peace) and Amanda Chils (Lakeland, FL/George Jenkins) to total 83.500 points, second only to Canisius' 87.833 points. The Golden Griffins also had the third-place performance, with 82.667 points, but another Wheaton trio was close behind in fourth, as senior Sharada Strasmore (Weston, CT/Weston), junior Jenna Swinkin (Hamden, CT/Hamden) and freshman Rachel Cordo (Wayzata, MN/Wayzata) accumulated 81.500 points.

During the duet competition, Butera and Chils combined for 82.833 points and a second-place finish, edging out a Keuka tandem's 82.000 points. The Lyons also captured fourth, with Cordo and Swinkin notching 78.667 points.

Butera, Chils, Cordo, Montes, Strasmore, Swinkin and freshman Anastasia Hare (Buffalo, NY/Buffalo Seminary) combined on a second-place finish during the team routines, totaling 83.583 points to finish behind a top Canisius squad that drew 87.333 points

In the figures portion of the meet, Wheaton had strong showing in both the B and C categories. Strasmore won B with 70.135 points, holding off Butera and her 69.157 points, which left the freshman second. Swinkin was seventh but came within 0.450 points of the top five. During C, Chils captured the top spot with 64.022 points, Hare was third with 62.146, and Cordo took fifth at 61.986. Montes nabbed fifth in A figures.

Wheaton takes two weeks off before hosting the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship, a two-day meet that begins on March 21 in Balfour Natatorium.