Swimming & Diving: Ohio falls to Akron in ultimate regular-season swimming meet

The Ohio Bobcats (3-1 Mid-American Conference) traveled north on Friday and Saturday to face off towards the reigning Mid-American Conference champion Akron Zips (4-0 MAC). The Zips handed the Bobcats their first lack of the season after scoring a 239-171 victory.  

The meet was a showdown between the highest two finishers eventually 12 months’s MAC Championship, and a possible preview of how this 12 months’s championship will play out. Both groups entered this meet undefeated in convention competitors, which means they very nicely might be competing for the highest spot once more.

Competition opened Friday with the 1-meter dive, the place three Ohio divers, junior Astrid Pichardo, junior Stephanie Balthaser and freshman Bella Basford, completed first, third and fourth after their respective makes an attempt. However, after the primary swimming occasion, the 200-yard freestyle relay, Akron moved into the lead, partially because of a second-place end from the Bobcats being erased resulting from a disqualification. 

From this level, the Zips didn’t relinquish their lead, however Ohio remained aggressive all through the day. The Bobcats picked up two extra occasion wins Friday, with senior Casadie DiBetta taking gold within the 50-yard breaststroke and junior Melanie Schweikert profitable the 200-yard backstroke. 

The 400-yard medley relay of freshman Lily Baumgartner, DiBetta, sophomore Jordan Claypoole and junior Zita Szoke additionally took dwelling a second-place end. The day ended with Akron main 132-73, however Ohio was nonetheless within the battle heading into day two.

Ohio obtained off to a powerful begin Saturday, starting with Schweikert, DiBetta, Claypoole and Szoke profitable the 200-yard medley relay. Junior Ashley Sallows and freshman Katrina Kollin adopted this up with respective second- and third-place finishes within the 1000-yard freestyle. 

The Bobcats remained aggressive all through the day. Szoke gained the 50- and 200-yard freestyle, DiBetta gained the 100-yard breaststroke, senior Emily Ellsworth gained the 400-yard particular person medley and Szoke, freshmen Tori Wittenberg, freshmen Juliette Daigneault and Claypoole took dwelling gold within the 400-yard freestyle relay. 

Just like within the 1-meter dive on Friday, Pichardo topped the board and win the 3-meter dive, with Basford and Balthaser additionally placing in strong performances and swapping positions from the earlier days occasion.

 Despite Ohio’s many prime finishes Saturday, the Zips have been capable of maintain off the Bobcats’ comeback effort with many sturdy performances of their very own, and shut out the meet with a 239-171 win.

The Bobcats’ divers have yet another meet within the common season as they give the impression of being to get again to their profitable methods. They head to Oxford, Ohio, on Feb. 6 and seven to face off towards the Miami RedHawks.

Meanwhile, each the swimmers and divers get an opportunity at revenge, as they put together for the MAC Championship on Feb 25-28. Akron is certainly one of eight groups Ohio will face within the convention championship because the Zips look to defend their title and the Bobcats search for their first championship since 2011.

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