CCSU Concludes Dual Meet Season With Win Over Rhode Island

CCSU vs Rhode Island (Women)

• Saturday, January 28, 2023
• New Britain, Ct.
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results
• Team Score: CCSU 173, Rhode Island 127

Courtesy: CCSU Athletics

The Central Connecticut swimming and diving team wrapped up the dual meet portion of its season with a 173-127 victory over Rhode Island at Suydam Natatorium Saturday afternoon. The Blue Devils won 12 events, including both relays, en route to the victory.

Prior to the meet the Blue Devils honored seniors Abby Bacon and Shannon Welcome for their contributions over the course of their careers.

CCSU now turns its attention to the 2023 Northeast Conference Championship, February 21-25 at the Spire Center in Geneva, OH.

• The Blue Devils opened the meet with a convincing win in the 200 medley relay, as Kelly Stotler, Ella Discala, Cassidy Stotler and Katie Czulewicz touched at 1:48.26, 1.14 seconds in front of the runner-up
• Abbey Keane won the 1,000 free for a second straight day, touching at 10:32.31, .65 seconds faster than her winning time at UConn Friday
• Czulewicz (1:54.35) and Shannon Welcome (1:54.82) battled to the finish to take the top two spots in the 200 freestyle
• Meghan Dunnigan earned the win in the 100 backstroke, touching at 59.73
• Discala earned an individual win with a 1:06.32 swim in the 100 breaststroke, with Morgan O’Hara picking up third at 1:09.19
• Gabi Wroblewski won the 200 butterfly, by more than three seconds, with a time of 2:10.79
• Kelly Stotler touched first in the 50 free, with a swim of 25.28
• Jewelle Maziarz (248.10) and Elyse Boothroyd (236.48) placed second and third in 1-meter diving
• Welcome, picked up the win in the 100 free, at 54.32, with Gabby Spaciano second at 54.97
• Dunnigan won for the second time in as many swims, with a 2:06.45 to capture the 200 backstroke, where Kaylin McMahon placed third at 2:12.26
• Discala touched second in the 200 breaststroke, at 2:26.73
• Czulewicz earned her third overall win, and second individual, with a 5:11.49 effort in the 500 freestyle
• Keane touched second in the 500 free, at 5:14.25
• Cassidy Stotler captured the top spot in the 100 butterfly, with a swim of 58.19, 1.5 seconds clear of the field
• Zoe Baker was the Blue Devils top finisher on the 3-meter board, with a 229.28, just .08 points in front of Maziarz
• O’Hara and Wroblewski finished second and third in the 200 IM, with swims of 2:13.32 and 2:15.39
• The Stotler twins, Spaciano and Czulewicz won the 200 free relay, at 1:40.47, to round out the victory.

Courtesy: Rhode Island Athletics

How It Happened
Freshman Sarah Koenig posted a personal best in the 200-yard individual medley to pick up one of four wins for Rhode Island Saturday. The Rams dropped their regular-season finale at Central Connecticut State, 173-127.

Koenig shaved nearly two seconds off her previous best time, winning the race in 2:10.69. She bested CCSU’s Morgan O’Hara (2:13.32) by almost three seconds.

Rhode Island had three other individual winners Saturday. Freshmen Lily Hsu and Olivia Winslow swept the diving events, with Hsu victorious in the 1-meter and Winslow taking the 3-meter event.  Sophomore Hannah Benavides also grabbed her first career individual win, taking the 200-yard breaststroke in an electrifying race.

Benavides finished the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:26.04, holding off CCSU’s Ella Discala by just .69 seconds. The time for Benavides was her season best. Discala and Benavides also finished 1-2 in the 100 breaststroke, with Discala winning that race in a time of 1:06.32. Benavdes had a time of 1:08.04.

In the 1-meter dive, Hsu picked up her third career win with a score of 2:54.93. She was comfortably ahead of the field, as CCSU’s Jewelle Maziarz was second with a score of 248.10.

It was a 1-2 finish for Rhody in the 3-meter dive. Winslow’s score of 269.03 was more than enough for her first career individual win. Junior Carleigh Schlissel was second with 230.78 points.

Standouts from the Pool

• Freshman Rylee Kelley and senior Aimee Garcia provided a second- and third-place finish in the 1000-yard freestyle, while senior Shauna Killane and sophomore Jackie Triglia did the same in the 200 butterfly.
• Garcia also placed third in the 200 breaststroke, while Kelly was third in the 500 freestyle.
• Sophomore Kelsey McMenemy placed second in the 200 backstroke.
• Freshman Abby Zadorozny was second in the 100 butterfly, coming in 1.5 seconds behind CCSU’s Cassidy Stotler, who won with a time of 58.19.

What’s Next
Rhode Island is done with the regular season. The Rams next participate in the Atlantic 10 Championship at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio from Feb. 15 through Feb. 18.