NC State Sprints Reign Supreme at IU Invite Day 1 Prelims

2018 IU INVITATIONAL

• Thursday-Saturday, November 15-17th
• Counsilman Billingsley Aquatic Center, Bloomington, IN
• Short Course Yards
• Live results

The first session of the 2018 IU Invitational kicked off this morning, with two of the biggest swims coming from NC State’s sprinters.

500 FREE PRELIMS

In the 500 free, Indiana’s Cassy Jernberg took top honors with a strong 4:41.95 ahead of teammate and freshman Noelle Peplowski (4:42.22) and Arizona State’s Erica Laning (4:42.86). Peplowski, who was recruited largely as a breaststroker (1:01/2:13), notably took almost nine full seconds off of her previous best, a 4:51.13 done at the 2016 IHSA Girls State HS Championships, almost exactly two years ago. While breaststrokers often pick up the 50 free or 200 IM as their third championship meet event, Peplowski is just a couple seconds off of an NCAA berth in this event now. She’s also been within a second of her 200 free best time with a 1:48.92 at IU’s dual with Mizzou and Notre Dame, so Peplowski may end up developing into a mid-distance freestyler for the Hoosiers.

Benjamin Olszewski won a tight battle with NC State’s Eric Knowles in the 500 free prelims. Olszewski, of Arizona State, was 4:18.94 to edge Knowles, who was 4:19.34.

200 IM PRELIMS

Mohammed Samy was 1:44.68 for the fastest 200 IM time this morning, the only finisher under 1:45. IU had four men into the A final tonight, including Samy, and two under 1:47. Vini Lanza was 1:45.40 for 2nd, and Andreas Vazaios, a favorite for the NCAA title this year, was 3rd for NC State at 1:45.43.

Grace Oglesby marked Louisville’s only top seed of the morning here. She put together a very strong 53.76 and was able to hold off IU’s Christie Jensen for a 1:56.85, with Jensen touching at 1:56.99. NC State’s Julia Poole was 1:57.09 for 3rd, and Lilly King of Indiana was 1:57.20 for 4th. King was 32.82 on the breast leg, though Poole was nearly better, with a 32.87 split. NC State freshman Kylee Alons was 1:58.12 for a new best by a few tenths, but notably, she had splits of 24.82 on fly, 28.81 on back, and 27.54 on free– those were all field-best splits, but her field-worst 36.95 really sunk her. Mac Looze, an IU frosh, was 1:57.57, an outstanding swim and her first time under 2:00.

50 FREE PRELIMS

On the women’s side, not even Louisville’s Mallory Comerford could stop Ky-lee Perry. The NC State junior Perry had a tough season last year, marred by several weeks out of the pool due to dislocating her elbow and tearing a tendon, though she still swam well at championship season. Perry was quickest in the 50 free this morning at 21.80, tying her lifetime best from the 2017 ACC Championships. Comerford was close behind, though, at 21.94. NC State’s Sirena Rowe clocked a 22.27 for third. Louisville freshman Katie Schorr qualified through to the A final with a 22.59, slicing over two tenths off of her 22.81 old PR which was from back in 2016.

Nyls Korstanje posted a 19.29 to lead the field in the 50 free, a time that would’ve qualified for NCAAs last year. As the NC State men hope to replace the graduated Ryan Held on relays, Korstanje looks like the logical move to take over those duties. IU’s Bruno Blaskovic was 2nd in 19.39 followed by NC State senior Justin Ress (19.42). Indiana had five men under 20.0 this morning, while NC State had four.