Ball State University
Akron (Women)
Women?s Swimming & Diving Rallies Past Akron; 151-149
November 08, 2008 | Women's Swimming and Diving
- - CLICK HERE FOR THE WEBCAST OF SATURDAY'S MEETS VERSUS BUFFALO - -
MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State women's swimming & diving team turned in a complete team effort Friday night at the Lewellen Aquatic Center, scoring a 151-149 victory over visiting Akron.
With the win, BSU improves to 2-2 (1-2 Mid-American Conference), while Akron drops to 1-2 (1-2 MAC) with the loss.
“It was nice to swim at home,” said BSU co-head coach Bob Thomas when summing up the meet. “This was not only a great win for our team, it was a victory for our fans as well. They helped make the difference tonight. With the closeness of the meet, it took a total team effort to pull out the victory. Being in front of the home crowd and in comfortable surroundings helped make the difference.”
Fellow co-head coach Laura Seibold-Caudill echoed Thomas' thoughts and summed up the meet as “a total team victory. The BSU women's swimming & diving team had a tremendous victory tonight.”
With the Zips leading 129-116 going into the final three events, Megan Ploetz (59.00)and Alanna Bader (59.19) posted a 1-2 finish in the 100 butterfly to help bring the Cardinals within striking distance of the lead. The victory also allowed Ploetz to sweep the butterfly events, as she captured first in the 200 (2:06.98) earlier in the meet.
In the meet's next event, the 200 individual medley, a 1-3-4 finish by Erika Paul (2:10.86) and Ploetz (2:13.26), rounded out by Emily Hurst (2:13.50) gave Ball State its first lead of the night at 145-138.
Needing to win or a second and third place showing in the 200 medley relay to secure its first win of the MAC season, the Cardinals relay team of Katie Bylsma, Lauren Harger, Andrea Campeau and Nicole Saulters finished second with a time of 1:38.26, while Kelly Johnson, Emily Haifley, Sarah Kehe and Joan Cullen placed third with a clocking of 1:40.05.
In addition to the thrilling finish to the meet, BSU diver Lisa Maertin won the 1-meter diving competition with a score of 281.85 which qualifies her for the 2009 NCAA Zone Diving meet held in Minneapolis, Minn., from March 12-15.
Earlier in the meet, BSU's first event victory came in the 100 breaststroke, when Lauren Harger turned in a time of 1:07.01. Haifley also continued her dominance in the breaststroke events, as she won the 200 with a time of 2:26.34.
The Ball State women's swimming & diving team returns to the pool Saturday at 4 p.m., when Buffalo visits the Lewellen Aquatic Center for another MAC showdown. Prior to the women's meet, the BSU men's squad returns to action for the first time since Oct. 18 when it squares-off versus Buffalo at 1 p.m. Admission to the meets are FREE.
400 Medley Relay
2. Sara Hostetler, Lauren Harger, Megan Ploetz and Katie Bylsma (4:00.56)
3. Nicole Saulters, Emily Haifley, Alanna Bader and Maria Gramelspacher (4:01.99)
-- Shelli Kopetsky, Emily Hurst, Joan Cullen and Erika Paul (4:04.23)
1650 Freestyle
2. Mary Ehresman (17:40.41)
3. Meghan Patterson (17:45.13)
5. Chelsea Giuffre (18:47.65)
200 Freestyle
3. Elizabeth Spilman (1:57.74)
4. Maria Gramelspacher (1:58.27)
6. Kelly Johnson (2:01.28)
100 Backstroke
2. Nicole Saulters (1:00.44)
4. Kaitlin Jasmon (1:01.55)
5. Shelli Kopetsky (1:02.34)
-- Katie Balko (1:03.72)
100 Breaststroke
1. Lauren Harger (1:07.01)
3. Emily Hurst (1:07.87)
4. Emily Haifley (1:08.32)
200 Butterfly
1. Megan Ploetz (2:06.98)
3. Mary Ehresman (2:09.59)
4. Sara Hostetler (2:11.19)
50 Freestyle
2. Katie Bylsma (25.12)
3. Andrea Campeau (25.13)
5. Joan Cullen (25.51)
1-Meter Diving
1. Lisa Maertin (281.85) - NCAA Zone Diving Qualifying Mark
4. Whitney Adams (226.04)
5. Christina Riordan (223.65)
-- Jessica Elzinga (210.14)
-- Whitney Johnson (198.24)
-- Allyson McGaha (174.52)
-- Nicole Niccum (161.99)
100 Freestyle
3. Nicole Saulters (54.25)
4. Katie Bylsma (54.27)
5. Maria Gramelspacher (54.93)
200 Backstroke
2. Sara Hostetler (2:09.97)
3. Erika Paul (2:12.14)
5. Shelli Kopetsky (2:13.46)
200 Breaststroke
1. Emily Haifley (2:26.34)
2. Emily Hurst (2:26.88)
4. Lauren Harger (2:30.30)
500 Freestyle
2. Mary Ehresman (5:11.59)
4. Elizabeth Spilman (5:15.95)
5. Meghan Patterson (5:18.79)
100 Butterfly
1. Megan Ploetz (59.00)
2. Alanna Bader (59.19)
4. Maria Gramelspacher (59.46)
3-Meter Diving
2. Lisa Maertin (278.40)
4. Whitney Adams (220.85)
6. Christina Riordan (214.68)
-- Whitney Johnson (206.40)
-- Jessica Elzinga (197.47)
-- Nicole Niccum (122.47)
200 Individual Medley
1. Erika Paul (2:10.86)
3. Megan Ploetz (2:13.26)
4. Emily Hurst (2:13.50)
200 Freestyle Relay
2. Katie Bylsma, Lauren Harger, Andrea Campeau and Nicole Saulters (1:38.26)
3. Kelly Johnson, Emily Haifley, Sarah Kehe and Joan Cullen (1:40.05)
5. Emily Collins, Katie Balko, Kaitlin Jasmon and Alanna Bader (1:43.27)
Players Mentioned
