NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State swimming and diving team kicked off their 2014-15 dual-meet season by defeating Truman State by a final score of 167-110, Friday, at Horton Pool.
Stellar swims were made by Marissa Yontz, Courtney Taylor and Rachel Root, who each won a pair of events. Yontz won the 200-yard freestyle (1:53.02) and the 50-yard freestyle (23.78), while Taylor won the 100-yard breaststroke (1:05.66) and the 200-yard breaststroke (2:22.75). Root topped the field in the 100-yard backstroke (58.71) and the 200-yard backstroke (2:06.42) to cap off a solid effort from the trio.
Coach Steve Paska was pleased with his team's win to start the dual-meet season.
"Any time you can start a season with a victory is impressive," Paska said. "Our team has to continue to work collectively together, as fast as we can, to prepare for our next few meets with Illinois, Southern Illinois, Florida and Miami. We need to be more efficient and swim with a lot more intensity to compete against those teams. I am very excited knowing their best is yet to come."
All-American diver Wenting Zhang won both events on the boards Friday night. Zhang had a solid performance, beating her pool record in the 3-meter diving competition with a score of 372.5 and falling just shy of her school record. In the 1-meter competition, Zhang won with a score of 328.80. Taylor Clayton was second in the 1-meter competition with a score of 241.19 and Kelly Sanks placed second with a score of 238.42 in the 3-meter competition.
Diving coach Phil Hoffmann is happy with the divers' performance.
"I was very impressed with Wendy's performance in her 3-meter diving and where she is so far this season," Hoffmann said. "This group is rounding into mid-season form and I am glad to see their training is paying off. I am excited about the progress they're making."
The Redbirds will be back at Horton Pool, Nov. 1, to compete in their double-dual meet against Illinois and Southern Illinois. The meet is set to begin at 10 a.m.
Event Breakdown
200-yard medley relay – The ISU relay of Samantha Schuckles, Taylor, Alexis Nash and Katherine Nelson was first (1:47.33) … second place finishers from ISU were Root, Rachel Holm, Sarah Thomas and Laura Paskoff (1:49.92) … Truman State relay of Hannah Nicks, Abby Hempen, Evyn Spencer and Alison Strickler placed third (1:50.00).
1000-yard freestyle – ISU swimmer Cecilia Holmes finished first (10:36.03) … Truman State swimmer Jasmine Roghair placed second (10:51.13) … Yvette Kruk of Illinois State was third (10:52.98).
200-yard freestyle – Nikki Sisson of Truman State was second (1:56.37) … Paskoff finished third (1:56.49) … Spencer was fourth (2:00.45).
100-yard backstroke – Schuckles placed second (1:00.19) … Truman State's Grace Fodor placed third (1:00.92) … Nicks placed fourth (1:01.21).
100-yard breaststroke – Hempen finished second (1:07.27) … Holm placed third (1:07.55) … ISU's Allison Soper finished fourth (1:09.96).
200-yard butterfly – Illinois State's Kristin Verkler won (2:10.21) … Truman State's Libby Opfer was second (2:10.49) … ISU's Katie Breger placed third (2:11.75).
50-yard freestyle – Nelson was second (24.81) … Bulldog Jamie Fitzpatrick finished third (25.26) … Strickler was fourth (25.35).
1-meter diving – Molly Schatz of ISU finished third (236.17) … Sanks placed fourth (219.58) … ISU's Kristen Larson was fifth (182.70).
100-yard freestyle – Nelson won with a time of 53.59 … Sisson was second (53.93) … Paskoff finished third (54.54).
200-yard backstroke – Nicks was second (2:09.85) … ISU's Karley Licking was third (2:10.37) … Fodor was fourth (2:13.55).
200-yard breastroke – Hempen was second (2:23.64) … ISU's Jillena Everest placed third (2:30.36) … Soper was fourth (2:31.49).
500-yard freestyle – Bulldog Kourtney Betz won (5:17.33) … Roghair was second (5:20.11) … Meghan Senne of Truman State finished third (5:33.64).
100-yard butterfly – Spencer won the event (57.82) … Nash was second (58.71) … Opfer was third (58.95).
3-meter diving – Schatz was third (229.80) … Larson finished fourth (168.07).
200-yard IM – Spencer won the event (2:08.99) … Taylor was second (2:10.08) … Hempen finished third (2:13.28).
400-yard freestyle relay – Truman State relay consisting of Strickler, Betz, Fitzpatrick and Sisson won the event (3:40.47) … Loriel Hutchinson, Ashley Shanel, Brynn Guardado and Kristi VanOost of Truman State placed second (3:49.82) … Truman State relay of Voelker, Emily Ponte, Roghair and Shannon Rempe finished third (3:55.01).
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.Â
