CARBONDALE, Ill. – The Illinois State swimming and diving team split with Southern Illinois and Evansville on Friday, falling to the Salukis, 178-119, while securing a 166-128 victory over the Purple Aces to improve to 3-1 in Missouri Valley Conference dual meet action this season.
"I'm proud of the total team effort on both the boards and in the water today," head coach Caitlin Hamilton said. "Getting a chance to race and preview the facility leading into conference puts us in a great spot moving forward. We had too many lifetime and season best times to count and ending the meet with a win in the 400-yard freestyle relay was beyond exciting!"
TOP PERFORMANCES
Illinois State's best outing was in the 200-yard IM, as the Redbirds went 1-2-4, as Julie Kolar (2:06.42) and Emily Keebler (2:06.85) finished closely behind Olivia Gonder (2:05.90), who was ISU's lone individual event champion.
More than half of the Redbirds who competed secured top-five finishes in individual events:
Cassidy Carey – 100-yard butterfly (57.11), 200-yard butterfly (2:05.93)
Raegen Follis – 500-yard freestyle (5:05.38), 200-yard freestyle (1:52.15)
Olivia Gonder – 100-yard breaststroke (1:05.73)
Sarah Hein – 200-yard butterfly (2:05.40)
Julie Kolar – 100-yard freestyle (52.64), 50-yard freestyle (24.54)
Makenna Licking – 500-yard freestyle (5:05.10)
Madyson Morse – 200-yard breaststroke (2:21.05), 100-yard breaststroke (1:04.89)
Lauren Naeger – 200-yard butterfly (2:07.38)
Morgan Rosser – 1000-yard freestyle (10:27.28)
Isabel Veliz – 100-yard butterfly (58.54)
Kenzie Weber – 100-yard backstroke (57.52)
ON THE BOARDS
For the third time this season, Caroline Lecoeur swept the 1- and 3-meter diving events with scores of 256.25 and 272.10, respectively. Freshman Megan Mulligan turned in a pair of top-five performances in the 1-meter (211.90) and 3-meter (228.60) events, while Kamryn Blake grabbed a third-place finish on the 1-meter (218.40) board.
RUNNING AWAY WITH THE RELAY
The Redbird quartet of Raegen Follis, Kenzie Weber, Olivia Gonder and Julie Kolar won the final event of the meet – the 400-yard freestyle relay – in a time of 3:29.43.
UP NEXT
Illinois State will close the regular season virtually against Little Rock on March 27 at 10 a.m. The Redbirds will be competing at Horton Pool on ISU's campus, while the Trojans will be at their home facility. Meet opponents, times, location and dates are subject to change.
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