Oleksandra Kashyrina, LIU Brooklyn
Fr., Odessa, Ukraine
Kashyrina was the sole triple-winner for the Blackbirds, who lost by a single point to Siena following a photo finish in the final event on Saturday. The freshman was first in the 50 freestyle with a time of 24.38, just .05 seconds off her personal-best and NEC-best time of 24.33 this season. The Ukraine native also won the 100 free (53.72) and 100 butterfly (58.32), becoming the first Blackbird to win three events at a dual meet. Kashyrina currently holds the second best time in the NEC for the 100 free (52.68) and the fourth best time in the 100 fly (58.32). This marks her first NEC Swimmer of the Week award and second NEC Rookie of the Week honor.
NEC DIVER OF THE WEEK
Kelci Abernethy, Bryant
Fr., Chandler, AZ/Perry
Competing against Central Connecticut on Friday night, Abernethy took home individual victories in the 1 and 3-meter diving events. The two-time NEC Diver of the Week earned the top spot and nearly broke the Bryant school record in the 1-meter diving with 237.37 points. Abernethy would also claim the top finish in the 3-meter after turning in a score of 230.63.
NEC WOMEN’S SWIMMING ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Oleksandra Kashyrina, LIU Brooklyn
Fr., Odessa, Ukraine
Kashyrina was the sole triple-winner for the Blackbirds, who lost by a single point to Siena following a photo finish in the final event on Saturday. The freshman was first in the 50 freestyle with a time of 24.38, just .05 seconds off her personal-best and NEC-best time of 24.33 this season. The Ukraine native also won the 100 free (53.72) and 100 butterfly (58.32), becoming the first Blackbird to win three events at a dual meet. Kashyrina currently holds the second best time in the NEC for the 100 free (52.68) and the fourth best time in the 100 fly (58.32). This marks her first NEC Swimmer of the Week award and second NEC Rookie of the Week honor.
The Central Connecticut women’s swimming and diving team took on Bryant at home this past Friday and won 12 of the 14 events to post a 192-108 victory over the Bulldogs.
To open up the meet Kaitlyn Troy (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central), Maddy Garber (Milford, MA/Uxbridge), Lisa Ward (Trumbull, CT/Trumbull) and Lauren Rasile (Branford, CT/Branford) placed first in the 200 medley relay as they finished in 1:48.04. The Blue Devils would claim their second victory in the 200 freestyle. Christine Rasile (Branford, CT/Branford) touched in a time of 1:53.81, the new top time in the NEC this season.
Troy grabbed her first individual win in the 100 backstroke with a time of 59.27. Relay teammate Garber claimed two individual victories, the first being in the 100 breaststroke (1:04.32) then in the 200 breaststroke she clocked a time of 2:21.82 for the top finish.
Ward and teammate Sabree Thomas (South Hadley, MA/South Hadley) had a one-two finish in the 200 butterfly with times of 2:09.72 and 2:12.31, respectively. Ward’s time currently ranks third in top times for the NEC this fall. The duo would then find themselves in another battle in the 100 fly where they would both post a time of 59.18 and share first place. Christine Rasile also took first in the 100 freestyle (1:53.81) earning the new top time for the event in the NEC. Ward would go on to win her final individual event in the 200 IM with a time of 2:11.03 and Garber took second in 2:12.73.
The final Blue Devil to secure a first place win was Aiden Devers (North Attleboro, MA/North Attleboro) in the 500 freestyle (5:18.20). CCSU will return to the pool to host Vermont on Saturday.
NEC Swimming & DIving Wrapup:
• Mount St. Mary’s competed against Loyola (MD) on Friday but fell, 148-109. Amanda Moore (Katy, TX/Cinco Ranch) was one of the Mount’s top swimmers as she broke both the program and pool record in the 50 meter freestyle after finishing in a time of 26.94. The record breaking day for the Mountaineers did not stop there. Maddie McGraw (Metairie, LA/Mt. Carmel Academy), Lauren Gullickson (Staten Island, NY/St. John Villa Academy), Moore and Mary Lombardi (Broomfield, CO/Holy Family) competed in the 400 medley relay and bested the old program record by more than 10 seconds with their time of 4:29.73. The 400 free relay squad made up of Moore, Haley Fournier (Naples, FL/Palmetto Ridge), Lenna Castro Marquez (Silver Spring, MD/Montgomery Blair) and Lombardi set a new program and pool record when they touched in a time of 4:02.72. Lombardi also clinched an individual victory in the 100 free when she clocked in at 1:01.50. Fournier would also take home a couple of individual victories in the 800 free (9:13.82) and the 400 free (4:30.63). Sarah Bonson (Lewistown, PA/Mifflin County) was the final Mountaineer to claim a victory as she placed first in the 200 IM with a time of 2:34.11.
• LIU Brooklyn competed against Siena and dropped a razor thin 144-143 decision after the Saints won in a photo finish in the final event, the 400 medley relay. NEC Swimmer and Rookie of the Week Oleksandra Kashyrina (Odessa, Ukraine) claimed three individual victories for the Blackbirds. Kashyrina won the 50 freestyle (24.38), 100 free (53.72) and the 100 butterfly (58.32), becoming the first Blackbird to achieve a three-victory performance. Classmate Milly Furneaux (Dover, England) clinched victories in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.43) and 200 breaststroke (2:27.70) to remain undefeated in both events this season. Nathalie Meyers (Dearborn, MI) also remained undefeated for the third weekend in a row in the 100 and 200 backstroke. Meyers finished with times of 59.63 and 2:08.62, respectively. Freshman Danielle Jefferies (Kihei, HI) also clinched a pair of victories in the 500 freestyle (5:19.60) and the 400 IM (4:43.89) to complete the Blackbirds’ individual victories.
• Bryant competed against Central Connecticut in an NEC matchup on Friday. NEC Diver of the Week Kelci Abernethy (Chandler, AZ/Perry) earned victories in both diving events. Abernethy’s first victory came in the 1-meter as her score of 237.37 nearly broke a school record. She would later record her second win of the night in the 3-meter dive after posting a score of 230.63. The Bulldogs would post a 1-2 finish in the 1,000 free as Mackenzie Kirk (San Jose, CA/Presentation) finished first and Lauren Doerrman (Oley, PA/Oley Valley) followed close behind in second. Freshman Jillian Rice (Trumbull, CT/Saint Joseph) achieved an individual victory in the 50 free after finishing in 24.47.
• Sacred Heart fell to Holy Cross, 156-138, this past Saturday. Jessica Poole (Shelton, CT/Shelton) clinched a trio of victories in the 100 and 200 breaststroke along with the 200 IM. In the 200 IM, Poole finished in a time of 2:19.65, narrowly beating the runner-up by .1 of a second. Poole posted a season best time of 1:10.77 in the 100 breaststroke and later went on to record a five second victory in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:34.75. Olivia Decas (Mattaposiett, MA/Bishop Stang) and Anna Brown (Brookfield, CT/Brookfield) secured their own individual victories in the 100 and 200 backstroke after clocking in at 1:01.61 and 2:13.60, respectively. Decas also won the 100 freestyle (56.35). Jillian Crosby (Port Monmouth, NJ/Red Bank Catholic) collected a win in the 500 freestyle for the Pioneers, finishing in 5:26.58. Decas, Emily Shenk (Williamstown, NJ/Gloucester Catholic), Caleigh Dion (Dunstable, MA/Groton Dunstable Regional) and Crosby combined to win the 200 free relay with a time of 1:42.88, marking a new SHU season-best time in the event.
