2021 Women’s MAC Champs Day 2: Buffalo Wins Big, Setting Stage for Tight Finish

2021 Women’s MAC Championships

• April 15-17, 2021
• Jones Natatorium, Ypsilanti, MI
• SCY (25 yards)
• Championship Central
• Defending champions: Akron (7x)
• 2020 Results
• Live Results (Also available on MeetMobile)
• Day 1 Results
• Day 2 Results

Team Scores (Through Day 2)

1. Akron – 506
2. Buffalo – 494
3. Miami (OH) – 311.5
4. Ohio – 262
5. Ball State – 213
6. Eastern Michigan – 204
7. Toledo – 180
8. Bowling Green – 168.5

7-time defending MAC Champions Akron have taken the lead heading into the final day of the meet. The Zips lead Buffalo by an ultra-slim 12 points margin with one finals session to go, marking the toughest fight Akron has had since they started their winning streak in 2014.

Akron was led again by Sarah Watson, who touched first in 52.04. Watson led the field by over 2 seconds, taking her 2nd MAC title in the event. The MAC Record is also held by Watson at 51.94, from when she first won the MAC title in the event back in 2019. The win also marks the 6th 100 fly title in a row for Akron.

Watson’s win was Akron’s only of the night, as Buffalo won both relays and 3 individual events. Leading the way was freshman Nicole Maier, who broke her 2nd MAC record of the meet. Maier touched in 4:11.30, blowing away the previous record of 4:13.97, which was set in 2017. Maier was fresh off shattering the 500 free record on day 1 as well.

Buffalo junior Toni Naccarella took her 2nd event of the meet, winning the 200 free in an upset. Naccarella swam a 1:47.97 to get her hand on the wall first, getting out to an early lead and holding on to win at the end. Miami’s Camila Lins de Mello, the 2-time defending champion in the event, finished 6th last night with a 1:48.77. Lins de Mello won the event in 2019 with a 1:45.47, and again in 2020 with a 1:45.96.

Another Buffalo junior, Katie Pollock, won the 100 breaststroke. After a very tight prelims, Pollock pulled away in finals, swimming a 1:00.66, beating defending champion Paula Garcia by 0.81 seconds. Garcia swam the race in an unusual way, taking it out in 30.20, and coming home in 31.27. That compared to 28.23 on the first 50 for Pollock, and 32.43 coming home.

Pollock and Naccarella were pivotal in Buffalo downing Akron in the 200 medley relay. Pollock split 27.07 on breaststroke, compared to 27.54 for Akron’s Andrea Fischer, while Naccarella anchored in a blistering 21.56 to Sarah Watson‘s 21.93 on Akron’s anchor. Akron did get the better of Buffalo on back and fly, with Lauren Cooper and Rachel Schiffli splitting 25.00 and 23.63, while Buffalo’s Nicole Roitenberg and Jillian Lawton splitting 25.19 and 24.00. Buffalo touched in a final time of 1:37.82, with Akron right behind in 1:38.10.

Buffalo also won the 800 free relay in 7:16.17, out-touching Miami (7:16.39). Unfortunately, splits are not available for the event, so we can’t know how the race shook out. Brittney Beetcher, Marij van der Mast, Maddy Rogan, and Toni Naccarella teamed up for Buffalo, while Nicole Maier, Ashlyn Underhill, Camila Lins de Mello, and Honor Brodie-Foy were on Miami’s team.

Bowling Green junior Daisy Platts posted a new lifetime best in the 100 back, winning the event in 52.39. The swim marked Platts’ 2nd-straight MAC title in the 100 back. Platts competed in the 100 back at NCAAs a month ago, where she finished 22nd. Her swim last night would have put her 18th at NCAAs.