NORTON, MA- The Wheaton College synchronized swimming team finished one point behind second-place Keuka College at the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship on Saturday in Balfour Natatorium, taking third among six teams and narrowly finishing short of the Storm for the second straight season.

The Lyons, who came within two points of Keuka at last year's meet, totaled 79 points. Canisius College won the event with 102 points.

A pair of Wheaton competitors took second in figures competitions, including senior Sharada Strasmore (Weston, CT/Weston) among 18 swimmers in the B category, where she totaled 71.152 points, just 0.029 short of the winner from Canisius. Freshman Christiana Butera (San Diego, CA/Academy of Our Lady of Peace) was fourth.

In C, freshman Amanda Chils (Lakeland, FL/George Jenkins) notched a runner-up showing behind 67.887 points, trailing only a Canisius swimmer's total of 69.091. Classmates Anastasia Hare (Buffalo, NY/Buffalo Seminary) and Rachel Cordo (Wayzata, MN/Wayzata) were fifth and sixth, respectively.

During the A figures competition, junior Laura Montes (San Juan, PR/Academia San Jose) took fifth before joining Butera, Chils, Cordo, Hare, Strasmore and junior Jenna Swinkin (Hamden, CT/Hamden) for a second-place showing in the team routine. The Lyons totaled 86.250 points, edging out Keuka and its 85.000 points.

Butera and Chils combined for 83.750 as the third-place duet tandem, while Cordo and Swinkin notched 83.250 to finish just behind them in fourth. In trio, Butera, Chils and Montes tied Keuka for third with 84.750 points, trailing Canisius' second-place squad by 0.500 points. Another trio, this one comprised of Cordo, Strasmore and Swinkin, took fifth with 82.000 points.

Wheaton's athletes immediately turn their attention to the three-day U.S. Collegiate Championship, which kicks off on Thursday in San Antonio, Texas, at 8:00 a.m.