After day 2 of the Zippy Invitational, the Akron women and Oakland men lead the team scores. Oakland’s Devon Nowicki impressed by winning the 100 breast in a new school record time of 53.15.
Cleveland State:
AKRON, Ohio – The Cleveland State men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams completed day two of the Zippy Invitational on Saturday night at the University of Akron’s Ocasek Natatorium. The men will head into Sunday’s finale with 378 points while the women have tallied 247.
On Saturday, the teams finished the 200 Medley relay, 400 IM, 100 Fly, 200 Free, 100 Breast, 100 Back, women’s 3M dive, men’s 1M dive and the 800 Free relay.
Both teams scored good finishes for CSU in the opening event of the day as the women’s team of Cassandra Oltman, Tobie Zeller, Molly McNamara and Anna Evans swam to a seventh-place finish in 1:46.04. The men’s 200 Medley relay team of Tommi Wolst, Jared Stergar, Philipp Sikatzki andDeclan McLaughlin, edged by just under a second, finished in second-place with a time of 1:29.70.
Patrick Walsh finished in sixth place in the 400 IM with a 4:10.76 just before McNamara (56.00, eighth), Wolst (49.20, third) and Grant Wethington(51.46, ninth) all finished in the top ten in the 100 Fly for the Vikings.
In the 200 Free, Sikatzki again led his heat, finishing in ninth-place overall with a 1:38.43. His finals time was the fastest of any participant.
Michaela Bargardi (59.16, 15th) and Jon LaValle (51.96, seventh) both swam to a top-15 finish in the 100 Back.
On the dive board, Samantha Sposet placed her second-straight placement, finishing in eighth place in the 3M with a finals score of 230.25. For the men, Curtis Roden finished in seventh place in the 1M with a score of 206.65.
The teams will finish the Zippy Invitational with tomorrow’s prelims beginning at 9:00 a.m. Sunday’s finals will be streamed live and can be found by clicking here.
Akron:
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AKRON, Ohio – The Akron swimming and diving team posted six first place finishes and numerous top times in the second day of the Zippy Invitational to help increase their lead tallying 1,679 points after 14 total events.
Bowling Green State University (1,210) and Oakland University (1,114) follow Akron in the top three spots after day two of competition.
On the day, Akron totaled 13 top three finishes including six first place times, four second place and three third place finishes.
The Zips jumped out of the blocks with a quick start to day two in the 200 medley relay. The Akron A team, freshman Madison Myers (Akron, Ohio), senior Hannah Raspopovich (Crown Point, Ind.), freshman Sadie Fazekas (Windsor, Ontario) and senior Ashley Niznik (McDonald, Pa.) clocked in with the top time of the event breaking a meet and pool record in a time of 1:40.02. The B team’s second place finish (1:41.29) is the fourth-fastest time in the program.
The Zips dominated the 100 butterfly sweeping the top times. Senior Erin Seiler (Phoenixville, Pa.) led the way with a time of 53.25. Engel improved her career-best time (56.07) by 1.43 seconds, touching in at 54.64. Fazekas cracked the top ten fastest times (sixth-fastest) in the 100 fly with her time of 55.13.
Sophomore Paloma Marrero Munoz (Merida, Spain) surpassed her previous record time of 1:02.54 in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:01.95 for a first place finish which is now the third-fastest time in program.
Junior Luka Szynal set her sights on breaking records in the 100 backstroke. Szynal who held the top time in the program in the 100 back (54.19) shattered her record in the preliminary round early in the day with a time of 53.86, which is also a meet and ONAT pool record. In the Evening session, Szynal turned on another gear and once again broke her record finishing in time of 53.58 for first place.
The Akron diving team shook off a slow start in the prelims and maintained a strong start to the season as they once again claimed the top three scores in the three-meter event. Senior Alice Hottensmith (Brunswick, Ohio) collected her second first place finish on the weekend with a score of 319.20. JuniorRachel Aepelbacher‘s (Novi, Mich.) six dives resulted in a score of 296.35 for second and junior Paige Kelkenberg (Lockport, N.Y.), was just four points behind her fellow Zip with a combined tally of 291.35 for third place.
Akron ended the night on a high note with their sixth first place victory during day two of the Invite. The night concluded with the 800 freestyle relay and the squad of freshman Ragen Engel (Springfield, Ohio), Niznik, freshman Emma King (Centerville, Ohio) and Myers rose to the occasion posting a new meet record and the fourth-fastest time in program history of 7:22.23.
The Zippy Invitational will conclude tomorrow starting at 9 a.m. with prelims and the finals will begin at 4 p.m. The finals will be streamed on GoZips.com
Tickets for each individual prelim session are $6, while tickets to the final sessions are $8 each. Tickets must be paid for in cash and will be available 90 minutes prior to the start of each session.
Admission for Akron students is FREE with a valid Zip Card.
Women’s Scores
1. Akron, University of 1679
2. Bowling Green State Univ. 1210
3. Oakland University 1114
4. Bloomsburg University 609
5. Clarion University 522
6. Niagara University 345
7. Cleveland State University 247
8. West Virginia University-Tech 168
Men’s Scores
1. Oakland University 1556.5
2. Bloomsburg University 1174
3. St. Bonaventure University 720
4. Clarion University 633
5. Niagara University 600
6. West Virginia University-Tech 543.5
7. Cleveland State University 378
Oakland:
Men-
AKRON, Ohio — Oakland’s Devon Nowicki became the new school record holder in the 100-yard breaststroke by going 53.15 Saturday evening at the Zippy Invitational inside Ocasek Natatorium. His time was also a new pool and meet record and good for an NCAA ‘B’ qualifying time as the men’s swimming and diving team remains in first place and the women’s team remains in third place.
Event wins
Men’s 200 medley relay (1:28.81)—Aleksander Danielewski, John Schihl, Tuomas Kiviluoma and Jeremiah Morren
400 IM— Patricia Aschan (4:19.55), Mitch Alters (3:58.93)
Men’s 100 fly (48.74)—Kiviluoma
200 free—Nikki Flynn (1:49.22), Jacob Pearson (1:40.17)
Men’s 100 breast (53.15, meet, pool, school record, NCAA ‘B’ cut)—Nowicki
Men’s 800 free relay (6:40.37)—Kiviluoma, Nowicki, Pearson and Paul Huch
The Golden Grizzlies will be back in action for the final day of competition Sunday, Dec. 6 with prelims beginning at 9 a.m. ET followed by finals at 4 p.m.
Bowling Green State:
AKRON, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University swimming and diving program continued to excel at the Zippy Invitational on Saturday, turning in several strong swims to remain in second place with one day of competition remaining. Two swimmers – Kristin Filby and Maya Skorupski – had impressive ‘B’ cut swims in the evening finals.
“The team finished day two with a few more best times,” Matt Ense said. “Maya Skorupski breaking the school record in the 100 back was the highlight of the day. The ladies have been getting stronger each session so tomorrow should be a fun day of racing.”
Filby became the second Falcon swimmer to turn in a ‘B’ cut swim in the 100 breast event this season, joining teammate Daniela Carrillo. Filby finished second in the event on the night with a time of 1:02.37. Her time was good for second-best among Falcon swimmers this season. Skorupski turned in BGSU’s third ‘B’ cut standard time of the season, this one coming in the 100 back. Skorupski’s season-best time of 54:46 established a new school record, previously owned by Alexa Harris (54.49) in 2013..
Several other Falcons had impressive nights, as true freshman Emily Verbrugge added to her already impressive season with a second-place finish in the 400 IM. Her time of 4:22.54 in the event was a career-best. Verbrugge was joined by teammate Nicole Hranchook – who finished fifth – in the A final of the 400 IM. In the 100 fly, Jordan Bullock finished with a season-best time of 55.16 for a fourth place finish, whileKalinka Mogensen finished fifth in the event. Three Falcons qualified for the 200 free final, as Tara Capouch (second), Hannah Newman (third) and Alex Poitinger (fifth) all scored for the Falcons.
BGSU will conclude the Zippy Invitational on Sunday. Preliminaries begin at 9:00 am, with finals taking place starting at 3:00 p.m. On Monday, BGSU will participate in the Zippy Long Course Invitational beginning at noon in Akron.
Bloomsburg:
AKRON, OH—There’s something in the water in Akron, Ohio because the Bloomsburg University men’s swimming team is setting all kinds of records on day two of the Zippy Invitational at the University of Akron. In the team race the Huskies are in second place with 1174 points trailing Oakland University with 1556.5 points.
In the morning prelims the first mark to fall was the 100-fly when Sam Feiser(Pottstown/OJ Roberts) posted a time of 49.33 to break Juan Casteneda’s 2011 record. That mark would last about two hours when, in a time trial, Kyle Dix(Schwenksville/Perkiomen Valley) lowered it to 49.04. But in the finals Feiser came back and reclaimed the mark with a time of 48.94 to finish second overall. Taking fifth overall was Ryan Paisley (Hazleton/Hazleton Area), while Eric Usbeck(Lake Ariel/Wallenpaupack Area) was eighth.
In the 200-free Dix unloaded a time of 1:40.50 to break the school mark of Chris Rumfelt set in 2006. His time is also third best in the PSAC this year. In the evening finals Dix finished second in 1:40.84, while Alex McCullough(Pottstown/OJ Roberts) was seventh in 1:44.89, while Alex Otero(Allentown/Parkland) took eighth in 1:48.32.
Then to cap a big morning Jake Harner (Philadelphia/Father Judge) smashed his own school record in the 100-breast by swimming 53.85, lowering the mark by nearly two seconds. The time is also number one in NCAA Division II this season. In the evening finals Harner showed his morning swim was no fluke as he equaled his time from the morning.
Taking sixth in the 100-breast was Ryan Sullivan (Lebanon/Cedar Crest) who finished in 56.84, while Paul Rocchi (Philadelphia/Archbishop Ryan) was eighth in 57.46. Nick Angeny (Philadelphia/Archbishop Ryan) was 11th in 57.80, whileTyler Gross (Pottstown/Pottsgrove) was 13th in 57.98.
In the 100-backstroke A.J. Brady (Wilmington, DE/Delaware Military Academy)was fifth in 50.93 seconds, fifth-best in the PSAC, while Nathan Mihalko(Windber/Richland) was 10th in 52.45.
In the 400-IM the Huskies Frank Eichhorn (Reading/Exeter Township) was eighth in 4:15.00, while Matt Schulz (Norristown/Methaction) was 10th in 4:16.60 withFrank Dello Buono (West Chester/West Chester Rustin) 11th in 4:16.72. Chris McPeak (Philadelphia/La Salle College) was 13th and Bobby Lenahan(Hatboro/Hatboro Horsham) 15th.
In relay action the Huskies broke the school record in the 200-medley relay with the team of Paisley, Harner, Usbeck and Brady posting a time of 1:30.98 breaking the mark of 1:32.24.
To end the day the Huskies lowered the school record in the 800-free relay with the team of Otero, Dix, McCullough and Paisley posting a time of 6:47.99, the ninth-fastest time in NCAA Division II this season.
Action will conclude on Sunday with sessions at 9 am and 4 p.m.
Clarion:
AKRON, Ohio – Summer Dacheux continued her exceptional performance at the Zippy Invite hosted by Akron, with the sophomore securing one individual top-10 finish and helping a relay team to another as the Golden Eagles remain in fifth place at the meet. The competition will conclude tomorrow.
The 200 Medley Relay team of Dacheux, Alexis Lopez, Emily Ondrizek and Becca Yonek opened up the day for the Golden Eagles with an impressive ninth-place finish in the loaded field, recording a time of 1:47.45 to rank second among non-Division I competitors in the race. That finish netted the group 40 in the team meet.
Dacheux also had another strong showing individually, taking 10th in the 100 Backstroke event. She shaved off .09 seconds from her preliminary time to finish the race in 57.77, ranking her second in the “B” heat and earning 17 points for the Golden Eagles. Katherine Querciagrossa was not far behind her, taking 14th in the event.
Over at the diving well, a pair of Golden Eagles finished among the top competitors in the 3m Diving competition. Lauren Slayton paced Clarion with a 256.20 score in the event, while teammate Sarah Zerfoss took seventh in the event with a 237.60.
Rounding out the top finishes of the day for the Golden Eagles was the 800 Freestyle Relay team of Querciagrossa, Eliza O’Neal, Sydney Briner and Yonek. The group took 11th in the event with a time of 805.17 for a 32-point gain for the Golden Eagles.
Swimming news courtesy of Cleveland State, Akron, Oakland, Bowling Green State, Bloomsburg, and Clarion Swimming & Diving.
Lauren,, Thanks for the great review you did foe the OAakland Univ Grizzlies.
I have a photo of OU Team at the zippy invite. Whould you like to use that in replacement of the generic swim photo for this article?
Hi Lori, we would love that. Please send to share@SwimSwam.com. Thanks!