Thursday was quick to get off to a record setting setting start as there would be 3 meet records and 4 pool records broken on the second night of competition at the Atlantic-10 Conference Championships.
The night began with the first of the three pool records in the women’s 500 freestyle. Rhode Island’s Chaya Zabludoff would take top honors breaking the record with a time of 4:48.37. Caroline Myers and Tanja Kirmse would take second and third, respectively. On the men’s side, UMass’ Alex Bomprezzi would finish just off the meet record while securing himself a NCAA consideration time with a 4:24.85. This would be a tight race as St. Bonaventure’s Vetslav Lets would only finish .04 seconds behind Bomprezzi to also secure a NCAA “B” standard. Liam Huffman of George Washington would round out the tips three.
The “B” cuts kept coming with Richmond’s Mali Kobelja taking the victory in the women’s 200 IM. She would finish with a time of 2:00.46, more than a second ahead of Morgan Peterson and Meghan Smith who tied for the silver with a 2:01.80. When the men hit the pool the first of the nights meet records would be broken by the Bonnies Ripley Danner, who would finish in 1:48.16. Fernando Rubio and Goran Koprivnjak would take the silver and bronze, respectively.
Fire would then be set to the water as the sprinters took to action in the 50 freestyle. La Salle’s Katie Snee would put 20 points on the board for her team when she won with a time of 23.17. Just .10 seconds back would be Kelley Yang and rounding out the podium would be Porshe Brown. On the men’s side, the second pool and meet records would be broke as the Bonnies Jimmy Martin would break the reclusive 20 second barrier to take the gold in 19.90, the Bonnies would also take second with George Masons Travis Lauri taking third.
The diving well would be the center of attention for the next event as the women took to the 1 meter spring board. UMass swept the podium as well as fourth place led by senior Michaela Butler. She would score 315.65 points to set the third pool record of the day.
We would then move into the true team events in the men’s and women’s 200 freestyle relay. The University of Richmond would take top honors on the women’s side with George Mason and La Salle taking silver and bronze, respectively. The men’s event would find itself the victim of the final pool record of the night as the St. Bonaventure men would finish with a time of 1:18.48, only .32 seconds off the NCAA “A” cut I that event.
The women’s meet is turning in to a battle for second as the men are fighting it out at the top with only 1 point being the difference maker right now.
Full, live meet results available here.
Scores after day two
Women’s
1. Richmond – 236.5
2. UMass – 159
3. Fordham – 156
4. George Mason – 150
5. La Salle – 145
6. Duquesne – 138.5
7. Rhode Island – 129
8. St. Bonaventure – 112
9. George Washington – 103.5
10. Saint Louis – 66.5
Men’s
1. UMass – 243
2. St. Bonaventure – 242
3. George Mason – 178
4. La Salle – 172
5. George Washinton – 142
6. Fordham – 133
7. Saint Louis – 128
