The Eastern Michigan women opened their season with a victory over Miami University on Saturday, finishing with a score of 185-115. EMU freshman Nicole Swartz kicked off her collegiate career with an impressive victory in the 1000 free.
Eastern Michigan:
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) –
Fueled by the performances of a cohort of veterans and strong debuts of newcomers, the Eastern Michigan University women’s swimming and diving team opened the season with a 185-115 victory over Miami University, Saturday, Oct. 24, in Mid-American Conference competition. The Eagles won 12 of 16 events en route to a season opening win over the RedHawks.The Green and White opened the afternoon with a strong showing in the 200 Medley Relay. Losing several key members of relays from years past, the Eagles swept the top two spots in the event. Juniors Alexis Mitcheltree (Moon Twp., Pa.-Moon Area), Genna Worthley (Portland, Maine-Deering), Carly Jackson (La Porte, Ind.-La Porte), and seniorMary Kate MacLean (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-Detroit Country Day) led the way, touching in at 1:43.61. Just behind the foursome, a contingent of freshman making their Eastern Michigan debuts took second. Michal Liberman (Rosh Haayin, Israel-Begin),, Delaney Duncan (Galesburg, Ill.-Galesburg), Dora Vrcic, and Stephanie Johnston fought their way back in the race to finish runner-up with a time of 1:44.56.
Building off the momentum of the Eagles’ impressive start, freshman Nicole Swartz (Dayton, Ohio-Centerville) bested the field by more than 10 seconds in the 1000 Freestyle. The first place finish was one of two on the day for Swartz as the Dayton, Ohio product won the 500 Free while junior Grace Van Allen (Indianapolis, Ind.-North Central) rounded out the top three.
After senior Becca Detro (Carmel, Ind.-Carmel) and freshman Emilie Desnoyer finished first and third, respectively, in the 200 Free, Mitcheltree went on to win the 100 Backstroke. Turning in a time of 58.19, freshman Erika Guenther (Hudson, Wis.-Hudson) finished in third, three seconds behind Mitcheltree.
Continuing the hot start for EMU, Worthley returned to the pool in the 100 Breaststroke after playing a signifcant part in the Eagles’ relay win. Duncan led the event after the first split but a late push by Worthley left the Eagles’ duo tied atop the ranks, both touching in at 1:04.31.
The one-two punch in the 100 Breast carried over into the 200 Butterfly, 50 Free, and 100 Free. Jackson and senior Clarice Daniel (Belcamp, Md.) wrapped the 100 Breast with a sweep of the top spots before MacLean and Johnston added 13 points to the Eagles team total. MacLean won the 50 Free, finishing in 23.74, while Johnston touched in at 24.32.
After a short break, MacLean turned in a second place finish in the 100 Free, finishing on the heels of Detro to extend EMU’s lead.
On the springboard, the Eagles squared off against Miami’s returning All-American, Pei Lin. While Lin won both diving events, the EMU divers tested one of the nation’s best, taking second in both the 1-meter and 3-meter events. Sophomore Becky Deacon (Sherwood Park, Alberta-Vimy Ridge Academy) finished second in the 3-meter, posting a score of 263.25, while fellow sophomores Mattie Boucha (Northville, Mich.-Northville) and Alli Shereda (Fraser, Mich.-Fraser) turned in second and third place finishes in the 1-meter event.
Mitcheltree added another first place finish to her day, besting the field by nearly five seconds in the 200 Back before Jackson closed out the individual swimming events with a first place finish in the 100 Fly.
The Eagles capped an outstanding opening performance with a first and third place finish in the 400 Free Relay to close out the afternoon’s competition. MacLean, Detro, Mitcheltree, and Van Allen led the way with a time of 3:30.03. Junior Sierra Wagner (Huntsville, Texas-Huntsville) led the second relay squad, rounded out by Johnston, Vrcic, and Jackson, to a 3:32.32 mark and a third place finish.
With the win, the Eagles move to 1-0 on the season and gain an early edge in MAC competition. Eastern Michigan continues the 2015-16 slate with another MAC clash, Saturday, Oct. 31, against Ball State. The meet is set to start at 1 p.m. in Muncie, Ind.
EMU Individual Results
200-yard Medley Relay
1. Mitcheltree, Worthley, Jackson, MacLean 1:43.61
2. Liberman, Duncan, Vrcic, Johnston 1:44.56
5. Shaw, Wimmer, Trace, Newell x1:50.59
1000-yard Freestyle
1. Swartz, Nicole 10:15.95
4. Van Allen, Grace 10:35.56
6. Winnert, Becca 10:53.95
7. Aumiller, Abby x11:00.51
200-yard Freestyle
1. Detro, Becca 1:52.53
3. Desnoyer, Emilie 1:54.02
6. Wagner, Sierra 1:55.42
t-7. Yockey, Rosalie x1:56.35
9. Marion, Marissa x1:58.66
100-yard Backstroke
1. Mitcheltree, Alexis 55.19
3. Guenther, Erika 58.19
5. Liberman, Michal 58.43
9. Shaw, Haley x59.31
100-yard Breaststroke
t-1. Worthley, Genna 1:04.31
t-1. Duncan, Delaney 1:04.31
5. Wimmer, Emily 1:06.57
200-yard Butterfly
1. Jackson, Carly 2:04.38
2. Daniel, Clarice 2:06.03
4. Garringer, Makenzie 2:09.33
50-yard Freestyle
1. MacLean, Mary Kate 23.74
2. Johnston, Stephanie 24.32
4. Vrcic, Dora 24.61
5. Saddler, Abby x24.74
10. Newell, Hannah x25.87
3-meter Diving
2. Deacon, Rebecca 263.25
4. Tubbs, Emily 245.55
6. Shereda, Alexandra 231.83
100-yard Freestyle
1. Detro, Becca 52.57
2. MacLean, Mary Kate 52.55
4. Wagner, Sierra 53.17
5. Johnston, Stephanie x53.41
10. Marion, Marissa x54.90
200-yard Backstroke
1. Mitcheltree, Alexis 2:00.98
4. Aumiller, Abby 2:06.92
8. Shaw, Haley 2:13.14
200-yard Breaststroke
2. Worthley, Genna 2:20.20
4. Guenther, Erika 2:24.84
6. Wimmer, Emily 2:28.46
500-yard Freestyle
1. Swartz, Nicole 5:01.51
3. Van Allen, Grace 5:07.20
5. Yockey, Rosalie 5:11.93
7. Winnert, Becca x5:16.99
100-yard Butterfly
1. Jackson, Carly 56.52
3. Liberman, Michal 57.62
4. Vrcic, Dora 57.96
5. Garringer, Makenzie x58.36
8. Desnoyer, Emilie x58.95
1-meter Diving
2. Boucha, Mattie 251.92
3. Shereda, Alexandra 239.33
4. Deacon, Rebecca 236.40
7. Tubbs, Emily x226.95
8. Miller, Molly x210.68
Swimming news courtesy of Eastern Michigan Swimming & Diving.
Miami University:
YPSILANTI, Mich. – Juniors Stephanie LeMire and Pei Lin each won two individual events Saturday afternoon for the Miami University women’s swimming and diving team against Eastern Michigan, combining for the four RedHawk victories on the day. Miami dropped its Mid-American Conference opener to the Eagles at the Michael H. Johns Natatorium, 185-115, and fall to 1-2 on the season. It was the season-opening meet for EMU.
LeMire touched the wall first in the 200-yard IM and 200-yard breaststroke, with times of 2:07.09 and 2:19.62, respectively. Miami swept the 200-yard IM with sophomore Holly Schuster placing second (2:07.62) and senior Shannon Ahearn placing third (2:09.73). She also finished third in the 100-yard breaststroke, clocking in with a time of 1:04.96.
Lin, the reigning MAC Diver of the Year, started conference action in grand fashion with wins in both the one-meter dive (287.40) and three-meter dive (277.73). Lin’s margin of victory in the one-meter event was more than 35 points.
Sophomore Shay Spelman finished second in two individual races, the 1000-yard freestyle (10:26.59) and 500-yard freestyle (5:06.92).
Two freshmen had their own second-place finishes as well. Peyton Mosbaugh earned her finish in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 57.25, while Kelsey High touched the wall in 2:05.48 in the 200-yard backstroke.
Junior Brittany Dudzinski finished second in the 100-yard backstroke (57.67). Fellow junior Logan Klinsky placed second in the 200-yard freestyle (1:52.90).
Miami returns to the pool next weekend and continues MAC action as it hosts Ball State on Friday, Oct. 30 at 5 p.m. and Buffalo on Saturday, Oct. 31 at 1 p.m. Both meets will take place at the Nixon Aquatic Center.
Swimming news courtesy of Miami Swimming & Diving.