The Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) men and Akron women built on their leads from day one during finals competition on day two of the Zippy Invitational.
Team scores through finals day two:
Women:
- Akron: 1310
- Marshall: 1130
- Illinois State: 1122
- Clarion: 702
- IUP: 639
- Bloomsburg: 626
- Niagara: 277
- Franklin & Marshall: 242
- Buffalo: 75
- Malone University: 4
Men:
- IUP: 1259
- Bloomsburg: 1255
- Niagara: 903
- Clarion: 827
- Franklin & Marshall: 498
- Buffalo: 105
The high point of the session came in the form Erin Seiler of Akron setting a school record in the 100 yard butterfly. Seiler beat the field by almost a second and a half, and hit an NCAA B cut with her 54.21 performance in finals. She was 55.77 in prelims. Rachel Brooker of Bloomsburg and Aniella Janosky of IUP were second and third with Division II B cuts in 55.70 and 55.93, respectively.
Shane Baxter of Niagara dropped 1.7 seconds from his 51.38 in prelims to go 49.68 in finals in the men’s half of the 100 fly. Baxter was the only swimmer under 50 seconds, and was seeded fourth for finals. Benjamin Adams of IUP and Sam Feiser of Bloomsburg tied for second in 50.62.
Akron scored a victory in the 200 medley relay, where they also set a meet record. Ludwika Szynal, Amanda Lawson, Seiler, and Hannah Raspopovich combined to swim a 1:41.65 for the Zips and to set the record. The Akron B Relay was second in 1:43.35 from Ashley Niznik, Kristen Vargas, Meghan Pearson, and Susan Franz
Illinois State was third in 1:43.62 from the team of Sammy Schuckles, Courtney Taylor, Lexi Nash, and Katherine Nelson.
The men’s half saw Bloomsburg’s top seeded A relay cruise to a victory in 1:32.24. Aaron Cancro, Tyler Gross, Eric Usbeck, and Jake Harner combined for the victory for Bloomsburg. IUP’s A relay finished a little behind in 1:32.24. Rudy Da Costa, Zach Fountain, Benjamin Adams, and Andrew Richey made up the second place relay. IUP’s B relay was third in 1:33.66 from Paul Singerman, Shane Hallett, Adam Motter, and Corey Stauffer.
Emma Lockyear of Marshall kept rolling in this meet with a victory in the 400 IM. She touched first at 4:23.37. Vargas followed her in for Akron at 4:24.85. Teel Hartmann finished third for Marshall in 4:28.50.
IUP’s Yuri Fernandes got his team back on track with his victory in the men’s half of the 400 IM. Fernandes had a DII B cut with his 3:59.07. Shawn Warner of Niagara was second in 3:59.95. Brandon Hopkins of IUP scored another top three time for the Crimson Hawks with his 4:05.36.
Akron was shut out of the women’s 200 freestyle A final. Marissa Yontz won the event for Illinois State in 1:50.09. She was followed by Madison Pulfer, Kaley Gregory, and Nele Albers, all of Marshall, who were 1:50.85, 1:51.78, and 1:51.93, respectively.
James Robichaud of Clarion and Chris Strauss of IUP were the top two swimmers in the men’s 200 freestyle. Robichaud touched in 1:40.65 while Strauss was 1:41.94.
Bloomsburg took third fourth and fifth from Alex Otero, Alex McCullough, and Pat Stasio in 1:42.05, 1:42.18, and 1:43.14, respectively.
Bloomsburg’s Nikki Young won the women’s 100 yard breaststroke in 1:03.47, a DII B cut. Raspopovich kept the pace for Akron with a 1:03.55. Courtney Taylor took third in 1:03.79. Mikaya Reynolds was fourth for Marshall in 1:04.01.
Fountain set a meet record in the Men’s 100 breaststroke for IUP in 56.41. Paul Rochi and Tyler Gross finished second and third for Bloomsburg in 57.29 and 57.47.
IUP scored a key fourth place from Shane Hallet in 57.95, however.
Akron got a pool record from Szynal in the 100 backstroke. Szynal was 54.28 in the finals, good for a pool record as well. Clarion’s Gabby Schaeffer was 55.18 for second, and Rachel Root was third in 56.49.
Bloomsburg got a one two finish from Aaron Cancro and A.J. Brady. Cancro and Brady were 50.89 and 50.96, respectively. Rudy Da Costa and Paul Singerman were the next two finishers, touching in 51.18 and 52.12.
Marshall won the women’s 200 free relay with a 7:27.30 performance from Kacey Preun, Kaley Gregory, Nele Albers, and Pulfer. Pulfer had the best split with a 1:50.65 from the anchor leg.
Illinois State’s team of Yontz, Kristin Verkler, Yvette Kruk, and Laura Paskoff took second with a 7:28.44. Yontz had the top split for her team with a 1:51.00.
Akron placed third with a 7:34.84 from Taylor Hart, Vargas, Allison Teske, and Maria Eidam.
On the men’s side of the relay, IUP got a victory from the 6:49.12 effort from Fernandes, Alex Plimpton, Benjamin Adams, and Chris Strauss. Fernandes had the top split with a 1:40.21.
Bloomsburg took second in the relay with a 6:54.45. Alex McCullough, Brandon Sherbo, Feiser, and Otero made up the second place team with Feiser taking the top split in 1:43.02.
A 6:57.20 was good for IUP’s B relay to take third. Matthew Nakagama, Paul Singerman, Corey Stauffer, and Brandon Hopkins were the relay team with Nakagama taking top split with a 1:43.61.
Results are available here.
