Stevens and Naz Separated by Two Points After Day Two of Championship
Day Two Results
Stevens Institute of Technology and Nazareth College are separated by two points in the standings after the second day of competition at the Empire 8 Conference Women's Swimming & Diving Championships.
It took two tries, but Nazareth freshman Taylor Robey freshman delivered an individual conference title for the Golden Flyers Thursday morning as she finished first in the 50-yard freestyle to highlight the second day of competition at the Empire 8 Swimming and Diving Championships at Webster Aquatic Center.
The women's 50-yard freestyle was originally set to go off Wednesday evening, but a timing malfunction resulted in a do-over Thursday. Robey touched the wall in :24.10 to edge Courtney Jones of Stevens, who was clocked in :24.16.
In the 200 Freestyle Relay, it was a tight right between the top three teams but it was Hartwick College who pulled ahead on the final leg. The Hawks in the relay event for the first time in Empire 8 history as the quartet of Olivia Bart, Emma Reining, Abigail Schwartz and Madeline Hayes posted a time of 1:37.91. Nazareth College claimed second place (1:38.57) and Stevens took third (1:39.18).
The 400 Individual Medley finals produced a Stevens sweep for the second straight year. Sophomore Isabella Fairman claimed her second title of the Championship as she won the 500 freestyle on Wednesday night. Fairman clocked a NCAA B-cut time of 4:30.38 in the 400 IM to finish ahead of teammates Sam Geyer (4:33.06) and Katie Prescott (4:38.84).
The top three finishers in the 100 Butterfly all clocked a sub one-minute mark. Hartwick sophomore Emma Reining won the event, marking the first time a Hawk swimmer has claimed first place since 2004. Reining clocked a time of 58.74 to finish just ahead of Nazareth freshman Kaela Santos (58.87). Hartwick’s Tori Argentiera finished third in 59.20.
Utica senior Phoebe King made history Thursday night as she finished first in the 200 freestyle event to become the first Pioneer to win the event in Empire 8 Championship history. King was in a time of 1:54.80, edging out Hartwick’s Madeline Hayes by 14-tenths of a second (1:54.94). Stevens’ Samantha Zdesar finished third in 1:56.72.
With Ithaca College no longer in the conference, the diving competition was left wide open for a new champion. The top mark of 421.55 went to Nazareth’s Taylor Woltz as she finished ahead of runner-up Victoria Cramp of Alfred with a score of 344.85. Nazareth’s Hannah Gunther placed third in 296.10. Nazareth has won the 1-meter diving two previous times, back in 2003 and 2010.
The evening races came to a close with the 400 Medley Relay. Stevens’ Courtney Jones, Katie Prescott, Caroline Shusta and Isaballa Fairman combined to finish 1.54 seconds ahead of Nazareth as the Ducks registered a time of 3:57.80, while the Golden Flyers touched in 3:59.36. Hartwick finished third in 4:01.89.
Day three begins Friday with preliminaries at 10 a.m. and finals at 5:30 p.m.
TEAM SCORES
Stevens - 425
Nazareth - 423
Hartwick - 392
Alfred - 233
Utica - 206
Friday's Schedule:
200 Butterfly
100 Backstroke
100 Breaststroke
800 Freestyle Relay