By Thomas Asbaty
Staff Writer
The women’s swim team squared off against Kutztown University at the Pratt Recreational Center Saturday, Jan. 28. The team won their last home match of the 2016-2017 season with ease, beating Kutztown 126-115. The Pioneers won 13 of 14 races on the evening, advancing their record to 3-4.
Sophomore Karis Fuller stole the show, beating her own personal record and Pioneer record in the 1,650-yard freestyle. Fuller swam the 66 laps in just 17:20.04 besting her previous record of 17:22.63. “It feels great and pretty sweet to have broken it,” Fuller said after the race.
When asked how Fuller prepares for such a long and tiring race, she answered, “It’s the coaching staff making me hit my times in practice and making me push myself.” Her regiment is different from some sprinters; she doesn’t do as many explosive workouts, but more long-term exercises such as power cleans.
Junior Laura Bendfeldt and sophomore Catilin Johnstone finished first in both their races. Bendfeldt won the 100-yard freestyle and the 100-yard backstroke, coming in at 52.16 and 1:07.92. Johnstone finished first in both the 50-yard freestyle coming in at 24.92 and the 200-yard breaststroke at 2:26.59.
Sophomore Eline Swenson finished first in the 500-yard freestyle coming in at 5:23.18. Swenson also finished the 1,650-yard freestyle in second place coming in at 18:21.08. Sophomore Elin Kvanemar came in first in the 100-yard backstroke at 59.69 and finished second in the 200-yard backstroke at 2:08.41.
Freshman Tove Sparman swam the 200-yard freestyle in 1:54.72 to place first, and finished second in the 100-free coming in at 52.93. In the 200- yard individual medley junior Jacqueline Tonn took first place with a 2:16.27 time. Tonn placed second in the 200-yard backstroke and 100-yard coming in at 2:28.94 and 1:08.71.
Freshman Cassie St. Angelo won the 100-yard butter fly at 1:02.27 and placed third in the 200-yard backstroke at 2:18.52. Freshmen Jessica Argelander came in second in the 50-yard free at 26.56.
In the relay events, the team of Bendfeldt, Johnstone, Sparrman and sophomore Brianna LiCausi who came in third in the 100-yard freestyle at 53.54, and first in the 200-yard medley relay at 1:46.92.
In the 200-yard freestyle relay, the team of Sparrman, St. Angelo, Argelander and freshmen Elizabeth Law finished first with a time of 1:41.81
“Very excellent job, very proud for our last home match of the year,” said head coach Michaell Travers about his team’s performance Saturday.
The Pioneers look to defend their four year championship run at the metropolitan conference at Rutgers University on Feb 17 through Feb 19. Travers said he is “very confident in defending our title based on the whole year we had, very confident.”
First, Travers will take his team into Manhattan to swim in the New York University Invitational at the Palladium Athletic Facility on Feb. 3 and 4.
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