Akron Women Snap Three MAC Records, Boost Lead on Championships Day 3

Mid-American Conference (MAC) – Women

Akron won three events on Day 3 on the MAC championships to all but clinch the title, but on a day where 4 MAC records fell, Delaney Duncan stole the show for Eastern Michigan, swimming 58.25 in the 100 breaststroke to get well under the NCAA A cut.

Team Standings after Day 3:

1. Akron – 564

2. Eastern Michigan – 368

3. Buffalo – 339

4. Miami (OH) – 320

5. Ohio – 271

6. Bowling Green – 209

7. Toledo – 124

8. Ball State – 122

Olivia Sapio of Buffalo wasted no time in the 400 IM, as she had a 0.95 second lead after the fly (56.23), and a 3.61 second lead after the back (1:59.71). Smooth sailing home? Not quite. Akron’s Jackie Pash and Ohio’s Hannah Schlegel were on the hunt, and cut into the lead. Pash came nearly all the way back, but in a photo finish, Sapio held on, 4:14.11 to 4:14.15. Both nearly broke the meet record (4:14.08). Schlegel was third in a close 4:14.56.

Sarah Watson won the 100 fly for Akron, swimming a MAC record of 51.94 to add this win to the 200 IM title she won yesterday. Watson was the fastest in the field on both splits (24.33-27.61), as Paulina Nogaj made it a clear 1-2 for Akron, swimming 52.34.

Then it was a Miami 1-2 in the 200 free as Camila Lins de Melo got the win, the meet record, and nearly the MAC record in 1:45.47. Lins de Melo’s teammate Ella Moynihan (1:45.71) was second, after winning the 500 last night. Those two tracked together the whole race, with Lins de Melo pulling just a little ahead in the back half.

Delaney Duncan of Eastern Michigan put down the swim of the night in the 100 breaststroke, dominating in 58.25 to get an NCAA A cut by over half a second. Both of Duncan’s splits (27.63-30.62) were at least a second faster than anyone else in the field. Duncan also got the MAC record, and won by 2.76 seconds over Paula Garcia of Akron (1:01.01), who outtouched Kelsey Morgan of Ohio (1:01.04).

And it was yet another MAC record in the 100 back, this time by Sadie Fazekas of Akron. Fazekas also won the 50 free last night, and she swam 52.10 here, with splits of 25.31 and 26.79. Casey Gavigan of Eastern Michigan was second (52.87), and Daisy Platts (Bowling Green; 53.18) just outtouched Claire Young (Eastern Michigan; 53.19) for third.

And Fazekas (53.17), Garcia (1:00.25), Nogaj (51.83), and Watson (48.18) combined for another MAC record in the 400 medley relay, winning by 3.58 seconds in 3:33.43. After a 58.10 breaststroke split for Duncan gave Eastern Michigan a 2-second lead at halfway, Akron came right back to take a commanding lead of their own after Nogaj’s fast split on the fly. Then Watson pulled away to win on the free, as Eastern Michigan held on for second (3:37.01), ahead of a tight battle for third. Ohio (3:40.08) came from behind to get that spot over Buffalo (3:40.86), Bowling Green (3:41.03), and Miami (3:41.17).

In This Story

0
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments