Zippy Invitational Day 1: Zips Open Annual Event with a 179 Point Lead

Friday, December 4

Akron, Ohio

University of Akron

636

457

Zippy Invitational

Zippy Invitational Day 1: Zips Open Annual Event with a 179 Point Lead

December 04 | Women's Swimming & Diving

Follow Akron Swimming and Diving on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

WATCH LIVE on Zips Digital Network on GoZips.com
Saturday Prelims and Finals | Sunday Prelims and Finals

AKRON, Ohio – The Akron Zips women's swimming and diving team ended the first day of the Zippy Invitational with a 636-457 edge over Buffalo as three Zips posted NCAA Division I B-Cut standards on Friday.

Juniors Sarah Watson (Winnipeg, Manitoba) won the 50 freestyle (22.70) and junior Sofia Henell (Linkoping, Sweden) touched second (22.76) as both swimmers posted b-cut times. On the boards, sophomore Paige Kalik (Irwin, Pa.) finished second in one-meter diving with 270.06 points for a zone-B qualifying score.

Akron won 4-of-6 events as Watson was joined by freshman Astrid Halvorsen (Stroemmen, Norway) for an individual win. Halvorsen won the 500 freestyle, clocking in at 4:48.97 which was 1.5 seconds shy of a B-cut time.

A pair of relay teams also posted wins as the 200 freestyle relay team of Watson, sophomore Victoria Kaufman (Westminster, Md.), sophomore Rachel Schiffli (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Hennell (1:30.28) claimed the top spot. In addition, the 400 medley relay squad of sophomore Weronika Gorecka (Wroclaw, Poland), senior Paula Garcia (Madrid, Spain), Watson and Hennell (3:36.14) earned the win in the final event of Friday's session.

Traditionally, the Zippy Invitational consists of 10 teams competing over the three-day span. However, this year's event features Buffalo and Akron head-to-head competition. The meet is closed to the public and scheduled to stream live by Zips Digital Network on GoZips.com.

Saturday's prelims are scheduled for an 11 a.m. start followed by the 3-Meter diving at 12:30 p.m. The finals are slated to start at 6 p.m. The meet concludes on Sunday, Dec. 6, with prelims at 10 a.m. and finals at 4 p.m.

The Zips are looking for their seventh consecutive Zippy Invitational Championship as Akron made it six-in-a-row last season with a 407-point victory over a 10-team field.

Team Rankings - Points
1. Akron – 636
2. Buffalo – 457

Akron's Day 1 Scoring
Event 1 - 200 Freestyle Relay
1. Akron - 1:30.29 - Watson, Kaufman, Schiffli, Henell (52)
3. Akron - 1:32.98 - Gatrall, Cooper, Derodes, Halvorsen (42)

Event 2 - 500 Freestyle
A-Final
1 Halvorsen - 4:48.97 (26)
3 Galisteo - 4:53.15 (21)
5 Lamoureux - 4:57.72 (19)
B-Final
7 Workman - 4:57.67 (16)
8 Bozso - 4:59.04 (13)
10 Gardner - 5:00.71 (11)
12 Riker - 5:04.81 (9)

Event 3 - 200 Individual Medley
A-Final
2 Sabotin - 2:02.38 (22)
3 Garcia - 2:02.58 (21)
4 Fischer - 2:03.37 (20)
5 Gatrall - 2:04.47 (19)
6 Dyer - 2:04.84 (18)
B-Final
7 Gorecka - 2:03.90 (16)
9 Cappabianca - 2:05.68 (12)
12 Clough - 2:06.84 (9)
C-Final
13 Wharton - 2:06.81 (7)

Event 4 - 50 Freestyle
A-Final
1 Watson - 22.70 (26) D1 B
2 Henell - 22.76 (22) D1 B
5 Schiffli - 23.15 (19)
6 Cooper - 23.16 (18)
B-Final
7 Kaufman - 23.21 (16)
8 Derodes - 23.36 (13)

Event 5 - 1 Meter Diving
2 Kalik - 270.06 (22) D1 B
5 Nugent - J230.39 (19)
6 Bugariu - J226.04 (18)
7 Walkovich - J232.19 (16)

Event 6 – 400 Medley Relay
1 Akron - 1:30.29 - Watson Kaufman, Schiffli, Henell (52)
3 Akron - 1:32.98 - Gatrall, Cooper, Derodes, Halvorsen (42)