By: Bill Morgal, Sports Information Director
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University women's swimming team won eight of the 14 contested events Wednesday night in its 2019-20 home opener, including the meet-concluding 200-yard freestyle relay, to come from behind and defeat visiting IUP, 133-129, in a dual meet from Donald N. Miller Pool.
Senior
Gracee Tothero and sophomore
Madison Breiner combined for five individual event victories on the night that proved pivotal for the Raiders. Additionally, SU won both backstroke events – junior
Mari Reott in the 50 and sophomore
Tomomi Nakano in the 100 – to help claim victory over the Crimson Hawks.
Tothero had a remarkable night, for claiming gold in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 2:01.24. She came back later to win the 100-yard freestyle in 56.63 seconds, and most importantly, touch the wall first in the 100-yard IM with a time of 1:03.99 that put the Raiders in position to wrestle away the victory with a win in the final relay. Tothero also swam a breaststroke leg on a 200-yard medley relay that started out the meet.
Breiner, who has switched to more sprint freestyle events after primarily focusing on distance events last season, came through with the victory in the 50-yard freestyle by swimming 26.10 seconds. Later, she enhanced her distance interval back up to 500 yards but still emerged victorious, posting a time of 5:32.94 for the win.
The win was secured after senior
Gabriella Johnson, Breiner, junior
Kayla Sudbrink and Nakano beat IUP by more than a second in the 200-yard freestyle relay, posting a victorious time of 1:43.24.
Johnson was lauded Wednesday with a Senior Night ceremony – the meet marked her lone opportunity to compete at home this season due to conflicts with her also in the midst of her volleyball season. She also got to swim against her sister, IUP's Rachel Johnson – Rachel edged Gabriella in the 50- and 100-yard breaststroke events.
Tothero's swim in the 200 freestyle, Nakano's swim in the 100-yard backstroke, and Johnson's swim in the 100-yard breaststroke all satisfied the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) qualifying standard in their respective event.
Shippensburg is back in action in nine days when it heads to New Haven, Connecticut for a tri-meet with Southern Connecticut and West Chester.
200 Medley Relay
2.
Manisha Kapoor,
Gabriella Johnson,
Mari Reott,
Tomomi Nakano 1:53.61
Bri Joll,
Eva Tice,
Gracee Tothero,
Kayla Sudbrink 1:59.06
Kallie Lyle,
Brenna White,
Nicole Smith,
Neena Gollub 2:01.69
1000 Free
Marina Cote 11:46.68
Erika Rundquist 12:38.68
Rebecca Entner 12:54.15
200 Free
1.
Gracee Tothero 2:01.24 (PSAC)
3.
Madison Breiner 2:02.30
6.
Riley Weller 2:10.00
50 Back
1.
Mari Reott 29.02
2.
Manisha Kapoor 29.52
Bri Joll 30.07
50 Breast
2.
Gabriella Johnson 31.98
Eva Tice 34.29
Brenna White 34.70
100 Fly
2.
Tomomi Nakano 1:03.34
Kallie Lyle 1:08.81
Erika Rundquist 1:09.61
50 Free
1.
Madison Breiner 26.10
Kayla Sudbrink 26.43
Shannan Maher 27.04
100 Free
1.
Gracee Tothero 56.63
3.
Kayla Sudbrink 57.25
Neena Gollub 57.33
100 Back
1.
Tomomi Nakano 1:01.64 (PSAC)
2.
Manisha Kapoor 1:04.06
Bri Joll 1:04.77
100 Breast
3.
Gabriella Johnson 1:09.29 (PSAC)
Natalie Wiley 1:14.98
Eva Tice 1:15.01
500 Free
1.
Madison Breiner 5:32.94
Marina Cote 5:40.70
Rebecca Entner 6:25.19
50 Fly
2.
Mari Reott 27.63
Erika Rundquist 30.59
Kallie Lyle 31.34
100 IM
1.
Gracee Tothero 1:03.99
3.
Bri Joll 1:04.14
Manisha Kapoor 1:06.78
200 Free Relay
1.
Gabriella Johnson,
Madison Breiner,
Kayla Sudbrink,
Tomomi Nakano 1:43.24
Neena Gollub,
Shannan Maher,
Marina Cote,
Mari Reott 1:46.22
Paige Richards,
Riley Weller,
Caitlyn Sellers,
Nicole Smith 1:54.51