Miami Swimmers Take Down CCSU, 163-60
Jan. 16, 2010
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Coral Gables, Fla. – The University of Miami swimming team won all 11 events on Saturday en route to a 163-60 victory over visiting Central Connecticut State at the Norman A Whitten University Center Pool in Coral Gables, Fla. Saturday’s win allowed the Hurricanes to finish the home season with three wins against four opponents.
Miami started the day with a win in the 200-yard medley relay, turning in a season third-best performance of 1:47.77 by the Miami `A’ squad. The Miami `B’ team collected a second place mark of 1:52.79 in the race.
After winning her first collegiate 500-yard freestyle event last week against Illinois and Nebraska, freshman Christine Anderson took part in her first 1000-yard freestyle against CCSU. The result was the same, with the Chattanooga, Tenn., freshman claiming a winning time of 10:24.88. The time would serve as the third-fastest on the team thus far on the year. Sophomore Taylor Grenda was in third place (10:45.53) followed by classmate Gina Mayer (10:54.78) and fellow sophomore Erin Simpson (11:01.06). For Simpson and Grenda, this would also serve as their first 1000 freestyle of the season.
The `Canes Ryann Labreche took the win in the 200-yard freestyle, touching the wall at 1:55.67. Meanwhile, sophomore Roxanne Meyer touched the wall just behind Labreche in second place at 1:56.24. This was the first 200 free event of the season for Meyer. Following in fourth place for UM was freshman Hannah Kling (1:58.17) and sophomore Dana Hatic (2:00.07) in fifth.
For Hatic, a normal stroke swimmer for the `Canes, today’s 200 free served as her first freestyle event of any kind in her Miami career.
“I was excited about the way the girls competed today, and I just thought the effort level was extremely high,” stated UM head swimming coach Christie Shefchunas. “I put some of them in different events, and they went with it, and performed well despite it not being their normal events.”
UM went first-, second- and third in the 50-yard freestyle, with Deidre Novotny leading the way with one of her two wins on the day in a winning time of 25.37. For Novotny, it was her first freestyle event of the year. Behind her in second place was Hagar Elgendy (25.39), followed closely by Susan Smiddy (25.84) in third place.
Redshirt sophomore Lauren Jacoby picked up the win in the 200-yard individual medley, touching the wall in 2:09.72, while Annika Saarnak placed second in 2:09.92. Haley Nicholson was fifth with a mark of 2:16.15.
Miami’s Novotny picked up her second win of the day placing at 58.36 in the 100-yard butterfly. Teammate Grenda claimed third in 1:00.83, and it was the `Canes Kayla Smith in fourth – coming in at 1:01.73.
UM again went first-, second- and third in the 100-yard freestyle, led by the performance of Hannah Kling who finished at 54.43. Elgendy finished second for UM at 54.93, and Gina Mayer was third in 57.18.
Jacoby took the win for UM in the 100-yard backstroke – the second win for the Virginia native in four events on the afternoon, coming in at 59.84. Erin Simpson claimed third at 1:02.32. Labreche earned the win in the 500-yard freestyle as she cruised to a winning time of 5:06.52, followed by UM’s Anderson in second (5:08.50). Susan Smiddy claimed fourth in the 500 free with a mark of 5:15.23.
It was Sofia Johansson claiming her sixth consecutive win in the 100-yard breaststroke, picking up a time of 1:04.96. Meanwhile, Saarnak was in second with a performance of 1:08.54. Roxanne Meyer was fourth (1:09.06), and Haley Nicholson rounded out the top five at 1:13.27.
In the day’s final event, Miami’s `A’ team took the win in the 400-yard freestyle relay, touching the wall with a time of 3:38.00.
“I’m really happy about where the team is headed right now, and where we are positioning ourselves for the upcoming ACC Championships,” added Shefchunas. “They did an amazing job over the holiday training period, and I think they’re ready for the ACC’s – and ready to keep gaining confidence each time out in the water.”
Miami will conclude its 2009-10 dual season next weekend when the `Canes travel to Florida Atlantic on Jan. 22 for a meeting with the Owls in Boca Raton. The meet is scheduled for 5 p.m.
For more information on the University of Miami Swimming & Diving team, please log on to www.hurricanesports.com. Once there, you will find up-to-date news, results and information regarding the Hurricanes Swimming & Diving program.
