NORMAL, Ill. –The Illinois State swimming and diving team topped Southern Illinois, but came up short against Illinois, as the Redbirds hosted the pair in a double dual Saturday at Horton Pool. The Redbirds beat Southern Illinois, 159.50-139.50, while Illinois topped ISU, 197.00-102.00. The Illini also beat Southern Illinois, 207.50-91.50.
Redbirds Courtney Taylor, Marissa Yontz and Rachel Root turned in solid performances. Taylor won the 200-yard breaststroke, setting a new season-best time of 2:22.18, and the 100-yard breaststroke (1:05.69). Yontz won the 100-yard freestyle (52.31), while turning in a season-best time of 1:52.33 in the 200-yard freestyle, good enough for second place. Root record a pair of second-place finishes in the 100-yard backstroke (58.18) and 200-yard backstroke (2:06.04), respectively, both of which were season bests.
Illinois State head coach Steve Paska was impressed with the Redbirds' performance.
"This was a fantastic college meet and one of the best I have seen here at Illinois State," Paska said. "There were some really fast races and I have to give credit to the Fighting Illini. Hat's off to Coach (Sue) Novitsky for setting four pool records. The Salukis had some really solid swims as well.
"I was impressed with how the Redbirds got up and raced. Marissa, Courtney and Rachel really contributed to our success against the Salukis. We improved our race strategies and paid more attention to detail than we did against Truman State. We have to continue to bring this momentum as we compete on the road next weekend against Florida International and Miami. These will be two extreme tests as these are both quality teams."
Senior diver Wenting Zhang had a strong meet, placing second in both the 1-meter competition (331.25) and the 3-meter competition (363.55). ISU's Zhang finished behind Southern Illinois' Sherry Zhang, who set pool records in both the 1-meter competition (353.20) and the 3-meter competition (403.45).
ISU diving coach Phil Hoffmann was pleased with how his divers performed Saturday.
"I think that Wendy had a fantastic meet," Hoffmann said. "She was more put together in both her 1-meter and 3-meter events. She is in a really good spot going forward to our big competition next week on the road at Florida International and Miami.
"As a whole, I thought the group did well and I think they represented Illinois State very strongly. Today's meet showed things that we need to work on, but no glaring changes that need to be made – they are simple little things, and I think they understand that."
The Redbirds will be on the road next weekend competing at Florida International on Nov. 7 at 4 p.m., and Miami Nov. 8 at 10 a.m.
Event Breakdown
200-yard medley relay – Illinois won the event with a time of 1:45.12, setting a Horton Pool record … Illinois State's team of Samantha Schuckles, Courtney Taylor, Alexis Nash and Katherine Nelson finished second (1:46.82) … The Redbird team of Rachel Root, Rachel Holm, Sarah Thomas and Laura Paskoff took sixth (1:49.36) … ISU's team of Karley Licking, Jillena Everest, Emily Langlotz and Kristin Horney came in ninth (1:52.66).
1,000-yard freestyle – Illinois' Nelly Casas won the event in a time of 10:23.96 … No Illinois State swimmers competed in the event.
200-yard freestyle – Illinois' Sam Stratford won with a time of 1:52.05 … ISU's Marissa Yontz took second (1:52.33) … Paskoff finished seventh (1:55.13) … Redbird Yvette Kruk took ninth (1:58.60).
100-yard backstroke – Illinois' Alison Meng won in a time of 56.90 seconds … Root took second (58.15) … Schuckles finished fifth (59.58) … Licking took eighth (1:00.02).
100-yard breaststroke – Illinois State's Taylor won with a time of 1:05.69 … Holm took fifth (1:07.89) … Everest was eighth (1:09.78).
200-yard butterfly – Illinois' Gabbie Stecker won the event, clocking a time of 2:05.21 … Kristin Verkler secured Illinois State's top finish in the event, taking fifth (2:09.39) … Nash took sixth (2:09.68) … Katie Breger was ninth (2:12.79).
50-yard freestyle – Illinois' Gabby Bethke won in a time of 24.16 seconds … Yontz took second (24.27) … Nelson took fifth (24.72) … Grace Soltys took 10th (25.45) for the Redbirds.
1-meter diving – Southern Illinois' Sherry Zhang won with a finals score of 353.20, setting a pool record in the event … Illinois State's Wenting Zhang took second, with a score of 331.25 … ISU's Taylor Clayton took eighth (231.75) … Redbird Kelly Sanks took 10th (205.40).
100-yard freestyle – Yontz won in a time of 52.31 seconds … Nelson claimed fifth (53.34) … Paskoff took eighth (54.48).
200-yard backstroke – Illinois' Meng won with a time of 2:03.95 … Root finished second (2:06.04) … Licking took ninth (2:10.11) … Schuckles was 10th (2:11.93).
200-yard breaststroke – ISU's Taylor topped the field with a time of 2:22.18 … Everest took sixth 2:30.00 … Holm was seventh (2:31.94).
500-yard freestyle – Illinois' Stecker won in a pool-record time of 4:55.81 … Kruk secured Illinois State's top finish in the event, claiming seventh (5:15.46) … Sara Stansell took ninth (5:21.63) for the Redbirds … ISU's Keely Hunt took 10th (5:22.24).
100-yard butterfly – Illinois' Stratford won in a time of 56.79 seconds, setting a pool record … Nash tied for fourth (58.12) … Verkler took sixth (58.86) … Breger took seventh (59.13).
3-meter diving – Southern Illinois' Sherry Zhang won with a pool-record score of 403.45 … Illinois State's Wenting Zhang took second (363.55) … Redbird Molly Schatz took eighth (222.30) …Sanks was 10th (196.45).
200-yard IM – Illinois' Stratford set her second pool record of the day, clocking a time of 2:04.95 to win the event … ISU's Taylor took second (2:08.78) … Licking finished seventh (2:13.67) … Root finished eighth (2:14.13).
200-yard freestyle relay – Illinois won in a time of 1:36.37 … Illinois State's team of Yontz, Schuckles, Verkler and Nelson took second (1:36.58) … The Redbird team of Paskoff, Nash, Soltys and Kruk took sixth (1:40.14) … The ISU squad of Holm, Langlotz, Horney and Katelyn Kresal took eighth (1:42.21).
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