The Toll Gate girls swimming team has a new look this season after graduating three seniors from last year’s group, including standouts Wenona Alexander and Athena Sampalis who are now swimming at Rhode Island College.

The Lady Titans have been competitive in the early going, and fell to Mt. Hope by a narrow 48-46 score last week at home.

“We’re working hard to get better every day. We have some girls that are new to swimming so there’s been a huge learning curve, but they’re doing great. We haven’t had any disqualifications so far and that really shows that they’re learning and they’re getting what they’re supposed to do so that’s awesome,” said Toll Gate swimming coach Michael Seidenberg.

The Titans welcome a handful of newcomers into the mix, and Seidenberg hopes to see them continue to grow as Toll Gate tries to fill the void left by the three departing seniors from last year.

“Like with anything, you step up and work with what you have. We have been trying to help the (new) kids get better so then they can maybe fill in some sports, we’re doing fine,” said Seidenberg. “Obviously losing three seniors who are all really good swimmers is tough but you have to move on. They’ve all moved on to different parts of their careers which is great for them, but each year is different. A different group of kids, a different group of girls, you know what you’re going to lose but you don’t know what you’re going to get.”

Seidenberg has been pleased with the leadership of the returning swimmers as well, and has been happy to the see the team chemistry already starting to build.

“(The returners) have been great so far. One of our girls that’s not even a year-round swimmer stepped up and helped us win our freestyle so it’s nice to see those kids that aren’t year-round swimmers be able to slide into that spot and find out, ‘I’m doing well at this,’” said Seidenberg. “We support each other, treat each other with respect, work hard, play hard and try to stay positive. The chemistry with the girls is going well.”

Seidenberg also looks forward to some of the new competition in the Division 2 group this winter.

“The biggest goal that we would like to achieve is to be competitive in our division,” said Seidenberg. “There were teams that were dropped down from Division 2 to Division 3 like North Providence, Smithfield and Mount St. Charles, which is great because now the competition will be more even within that division.”

Toll Gate’s Lauren Manney won the 50 freestyle while teammate Sophia Amore took first in the 100 free.

Brooke Menard won the breaststroke and the butterfly for the Titans, while Alyssa O’Keefe won the 200 free.

Abby Ignagni won the 200 Im and the 500 free.

The Toll Gate relay team of O’Keefe, Menard, Ignagni and Amore won the 200 medley relay as well as the 200 free relay.