The Penn women's swimming team needed to claim the top two spots in the 200-yard freestyle relay in order to beat Columbia. Immediately after the start of the 16th and final event, Penn coach Mike Schnur began shouting: "That's an illegal start! That's an illegal start!"
The Quakers finished second and third in the relay, losing the meet, 159-141.
"Technically Columbia's relay team should have been disqualified," he said afterwards. "Their leadoff girl went past the 15-meter mark under water, which is a rules violation.
"Unfortunately, our facility is so antiquated that we don't have a clearly marked 15-meter mark. We put a mark there that moves and during the meet our girls accidently kicked it and moved it. The rule clearly states that if it is not a mark that is visible to competitors and officials, then you are not disqualified."
Schnur acknowledged that the controversy was not the only reason for the Quakers' loss.
The Lions finished in first place in 11 of the 14 swimming events. Columbia senior Hannah Galey, second-team All Ivy, finished first in both the 100- and 200-yard freestyle events.
Meanwhile, the youngest Quakers showed promise in their first meet.
"With a third of our team being freshmen, I knew it could go either way," Schnur said. "There were some freshmen who were unbelievable today. They will get better as the season goes."
Schnur singled out Casey Barnes-Waychus, who finished first in the 1000-yard freestyle (10:27.84).
"She will swim faster as we go on in the season, but it was a good way to start her career," Schnur.
Fellow freshman Laura Klick helped keep Columbia's talent at bay. The Mandeville, La., native placed in the top three in each of her four events.
Despite the freshmen's success, the Quakers' injuries continued to hinder their success.
Star junior backstroker Sara Coenen struggled in her individual events because of a shoulder that Schnur said "has been a mess from Day 1 this year."
Coenen, who exited the pool grasping her shoulder after each event, finished fourth in the 100-yard backstroke (1:00.20) and third in the 200-yard backstroke (2:08.59).
"Overall, I think we battled as hard as we could," Coenen said. "I know we will pull it out in the end."
The Penn men's swimming team also couldn't secure a victory against Columbia. On Friday night, the Quakers lost to the Lions, 170-128, in the Big Apple.
The freshmen again were the story for the Red and Blue.
Freshmen Jeff Cragg, the Quakers' top diving recruit, finished first in both the one-meter event (285.45) and the three-meter event (273.08).
"It wasn't even close with the other guys from Columbia," Schnur said.
For Cragg, an alumnus of nearby Germantown Academy, Friday was not only his in his inaugural college meet but also his first ever three-meter diving event.
"It was definitely a little scary for me."
Freshman breast-stroker Brendan McHugh also stood out, finishing first in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:08.41) and helping the Quaker 200-yard medal relay team finish second.
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