Courtesy of Ball State Sport Info
Ball State 197, Grand Valley State 103
Team Results
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Women of the Ball State swimming and diving team dominated Grand Valley State Saturday afternoon, claiming a 197-103 victory with multiple sweeps and first place finishes.
The men also competed Saturday and fell by a score of 187.5-112.5. The men dropped to 2-1 in duals this season while the women improved to 3-2.
"We're trying to build a program and a culture," said head coach J. Agnew. "We're looking for swimmers who are ready to fight. We're excited about where we are headed and today was a step in the right direction. This team is fearless."
It was a fast start to the day for BSU as Audrey Schank, Alex Bader, Shelby Crist and Peighton Gilbert claimed a win in the 200 Medley Relay. Their time of 1:45.76 got the Cardinals out in front in the first event of the meet. Both Crist and Schank were part of Ball State's next win as well, as Crist won the 100 Back while Schank finished second. Anne Vormohr joined them to claim third for the sweep.
Alex Bader and Apsara Sakbun both owned their respective events on the day with Bader winning both the 100 Breast (1:05.98) and 200 Breast (2:26.93). Sakbun earned victories in both the 50 Free (24:30) and 100 Free (52.82). Gilbert and Alexa McDonald finished second and third, respectively, in the 50 free for the sweep.
Sweeping first, second and third was a theme for the Cardinals Saturday afternoon as Sydney Dygert, Phoebe Rensink and Sophie Bader finished in the top three in the 200 Fly. Schank, Vormohr and Cecilia Moore followed suit in the 200 Back, and Crist, Rensink and Makenna Bottorff added another one in the 100 Fly.
On the diving boards, Caitlin Locante earned a zone cut on 1M by finishing first and scoring a 265.50, a career best. Freshman Madison Gatzlaff finished fifth in the same event with a total of 194.63. Hunter Ongay scored a 281.55 on 1M for first place and a career best, and Wyatt Blake earned third by registering a 253.20, which was also a career high. Locante also scored a 255.83 on 3M to place second while Gatzlaff notched a personal best and earned fourth with a 239.93. Ongay added a score of 256.20 on 3M to place second.
Jack Wolfred won the lone individual men's event of the day for Ball State, claiming first in the 50 Free with a time of 21.44. Owen Chaye finished right behind him in second after clocking in at 21.51.
Just like it began, the day ended strong for the Cardinals with both the men and women winning the 200 Free Relay. Gilbert, McDonald, Vormohr and Sakbun clocked in at 1:37.13 to earn first while the men's team made up of Ben Andrew, Wolfred, Bryce Handshoe and Chaye swam a 1:25.66 for the victory.
The Cardinals now have some time off until the Miami Invitational which opens December 5. Ball State is home again January 16 against Toledo.
