JACKSON TWP — Team success and individual success don't always come together on the same night.

But they did for Kelly Connolly.

The Seneca Valley senior swimmer broke the school record in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of one minute, 5.07 seconds at the University of Pittsburgh's Trees Pool on Dec. 19.

The performance helped the Raiders defeat McDowell (105-84) and Mount Lebanon (109-80).

It broke McDowell's 60-meet win streak.

"I knew I had a chance to get the record during the race because my coaches and teammates were going nuts," said Connolly. "But the fact that we picked up two wins and beat McDowell, that was the most important thing."

"That was the first time since I've been here that we've beaten both McDowell and Mount Lebanon in the meet at Pitt," said Raiders coach Tom Donati.

After the meet, Donati met with McDowell coach Dave Schultz. "He told me, 'Your girls looked very impressive, and very fast," Donati said. "I just laughed and said, 'Coach, I've been in your position for many years. What goes around comes around.'"

Connolly set SV's pool record in the breaststroke last season (1:07.29). She recently moved the standard to 1:06.75.

"To break the school record, she was going to have to drop a second and a half from her best time," said Donati. "And I can honestly say I wasn't expecting it. But in 17 years of coaching, I've never coached a swimmer with as much talent as her. She's looking to swim in college and this will open a lot of doors for her.

"Her school-record time would have won WPIALs last year and it would have been good for eighth in the state," added Donati.

Members of the SV girls swim team certainly had enough motivation against McDowell.

"There was a lot of stuff on the Internet about their 60-meet streak," said junior Rose Snyder, who picked up wins in the 100 and 200 freestyle. "I felt honored to be part of a team that was so competitive in that atmosphere."

The Raiders (5-0) opened 2007 with a 97-88 win over Pine-Richland Thursday night and remain perfect entering this Thursday's meet at Peters Township.

SV's other victories came against Shady Side Academy and Penn-Trafford.

"We're a small team, and I'd say we're ahead of where I thought we'd be," said Donati. "A lot of the kids have reached their personal-best times already this season, so, we used the Christmas break to refocus."

Donati has seen great individual and team performances during his 10 years at Seneca Valley.

His current girls squad is shaping up to add to that list.

"We're a lot closer than some of the teams from the past," said Connolly. "Everyone gets along. I think we can go further than most people expect us to."