FGCU Swimming and Diving vs Toledo Recap

While I am now gone to Bradenton for winter break, it doesn't stop me from writing about the FGCU swimming and diving team (4-2, 2-0 CCSA). After a tough loss to Northwestern, the Eagles bounced back and faced the University of Toledo (3-3), winning by a score of 182-60. I can't help myself by saying "Holy Toledo!"

"We had a great day today," FGCU head coach Dave Rollins said. "We continue to compete at a high level and race smart. The team was supportive, relaxed and had a lot of fun. It was great to end our semester with a win for FGCU."

In the first event, the Eagles took first and third place while Toledo took second in 200 yard medley relay. The team of freshman Petra Halmai, sophomore Cassidy Fry, senior Sommer Harris and junior Hannah Burdge took 1st place finishing with a time of 1:45.19, while the team of junior Kiley Eble, sophomore Lizzy White and seniors Yee Ching Wong Madi Clarke took 3rd with a time of 1:46.33. The team of sophomores Lindsay Manganiello and Karin Schienvar, redshirt senior Hannah Soutar and junior Hannah Wittman also competed in the relay as they finished 5th with a time of 1:50.60.

Event two was the 1,000 yard freestyle. Juniors Linda Shaw and Gracie Redding took 1st and 2nd place respectively. Shaw finished with a time of 10:34.28 while Redding finished with a time of 10:42.86. Freshman Rebecca Moynihan finished fifth with a time of 11:12.25.

For event three, the 200 yard freestyle, FGCU finished first, second and third respectively. Wong finished 1st with a time of 1:52.07, junior Christina Kaas Elmgreen finished 2nd with a time of 1:54.96, and junior Toni Baerens finished 3rd with a time of 1:55.38. Soutar also competed in the event, finishing 7th with a time of 2:00.13.

Event four was the 50 yard freestyle. The Eagles earned 1st, 3rd and 5th place finishes. Burdge took first with a time of 24.17. Clarke took third with a time of 24.53. Schienvar took 5th place with a time of 24.89. Eble finished 7th with a time of 25.15.

In event five, the 400 yard individual medley, the Eagle took first and second place respectively once again. Sophomore Liz Zeiger, the current CCSA Swimmer of the Week, finished in 1st place with a time of 4:23.74 while Halmai finished 2nd with a time of 4:27.50.

For event six, the one-meter dive, freshman Melissa Novak finished with a first place score of 245.25. Sophomore Natalie Keffer finished with a fourth place score of 191.63, while sophomore Stevie Meyerson finished in 5th place with a score of 159.15.

In event seven, the 100 yard butterfly, the Eagles took 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th respectively. Wong took first with a time of 55.78. Kaas Elmgreen took second with a time of 56.05. Sophomore Madi Jean took third with a time of 57.22. Junior Nicole Oppel finished 5th with a time of 59.79. Schienvar also competed in her third event finishing 7th with a time 1:01.50.

Event eight was the 100 yard freestyle. FGCU snagged 1st, 4th and 5th place. Redding finished in 1st with a time of 52.16, Moynihan finished 4th with a time of 53.62 and Clarke finished fifth with a time of 53.67. Baerens also competed in the event finishing 6th with a time of 54.72.

Event nine was the 100 yard backstroke. FGCU finished first and second respectively as well as fourth. Halmai finished in 1st place with a time of 58.28 while Wittman finished with a time of 59.56 for 2nd place. Eble finished 4th with a time of 1:00.98. Manganiello finished 7th with a time of 1:02.62.

For event 10, the 500 yard freestyle, the Eagles took 1st, 2nd and 4th place. In this event, it was Shaw's time to shine again. The native of Leeds, England took first with a time of 5:03.44. Fry finished second with a time of 5:08.15. Burdge finished with a 4th place finish with a time of 5:17.40.

Event 11 was the three-meter dive. Novak finished with a 1st place score of 274.124, Meyerson finished with a 3rd place score of 207.75 and Keffer finished with a 4th place score of 188.625.

In event 12, the 100 yard breaststroke, Halmai took first with a time of 1:05.12. Harris finished second respectively behind Halmai with a time of 1:05.30. Sophomore Lizzy White finished fourth with a time of 1:05.97. Zeiger also competed for a 7th place finish with a time of 1:09.42.

In the 13th and final event, the 400 yard freestyle relay, the Eagles took first and third place to conclude the meet. Wong, Redding, Moynihan and Burdge finished in 1st with a time of 3:29.00 while Wittman, Eble, Clarke and Fry finished 3rd with a time of 3:32.52. The team of Soutar, Jean, Schienvar and Baerens finished in 4th place with a time of 3:35.93.

"The meet reflects that we've been training really hard and the girls are tired, which is a good lesson to be learned at this point of the season," remarked Toldedo head coach Jonas Persson. "We had some really nice performances from senior Allison Dicke, freshman Lisa Eriksson, sophomore Bec Welke, and freshman Megan Peepers. Those four individuals led the team in and outside the pool and I'm proud of how they stepped up."

Key Notes:

• The Eagles took 1st place in all 13 events.
• Zeiger's time in the 400 IM was set as a season-best.
• Shaw contributed with 18 points after her first place finishes in the 500 and 1,000 yard freestyle.
• In all 13 events, including the diving portion, FGCU finished first in all 13.
• Six swimmers competed in four events (Schienvar, Halmai, Wong, Eble, Burdge, Clarke).
• Six swimmers competed in three events (Soutar, Moynihan, Redding, Fry, Baerens, Wittman).
• Five swimmers competed in two events (Harris, Kass Elmgreen, Jean, Manganiello, Zeiger).

Up next, the Eagles return to action on January 5, 2018 to start the new year. They will be hosting the Triple Distance Classic which starts at 5 PM. Other teams in the event will include CCSA conference rival Liberty, St. Louis University of Atlantic 10, Rutgers University of the Big Ten and NCAA DIII Gustavas Adolphus College of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC).