Swimming: Women Fall to Rutgers
November 15, 2009 01:15 PM | General
By Grant Dovey for MSNsportsNET.com
November 15, 2009
MEET RESULTS
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| Rachael Burnett |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – In a meet in which the West Virginia University women's swimming and diving team faced much adversity, they fell just short against BIG EAST foe Rutgers on Sat., Nov. 14. The Mountaineers were edged, 158-125 by the Scarlet Knights. WVU moved to 3-4 (1-3 BIG EAST) in dual meets on the 2009-10 season.
“Today was a day where I was really proud to be the head coach of these ladies,” coach Vic Riggs said. “It's been a tough week and travel trip, yet the ladies competed with true Mountaineer spirit and pride today. With the injuries and illness, we went from trying to win the meet to racing with heart and pride and these ladies did that today and I couldn't be more proud of them.”
Freshmen Rachael Burnett and Kata Fodor, along with the 400 free relay team had the three first-place finishes for the Mountaineers.
The freshman trio of Burnett, Sloan Storie and Fodor continued their success in the distance freestyle events swimming to a 1-2-3 finish in the 500 free. Burnett touched the wall first with a time of 5:02.62.
Fodor then took first in the 1000 free with a time of 10:18.39. Storie placed second behind Fodor.
A team made up of seniors Morgan Callaway and Shaunna Purtell and freshmen Sara Conner and Burnett took first place in the 400 free relay with a time of 3:30.04.
In the other freestyle events, sophomore Sarah Kosmak finished third in the 50 free, while Purtell finished second in the 100 free. Burnett and Purtell finished second and third, respectively, in the 200 free.
In the backstroke events, Callaway placed third in the 100 back, while freshman Austen Carrington placed third in the 200 back, with Callaway finishing fourth.
Sophomore Jaryn Studer took third in the 200 breast and freshman Breanna McCann took fourth in both the 100 breast and 200 breast.
Burnett and Carrington also both swam in the 200 fly, with Burnett placing second and Carrington finishing in fourth.
It was a successful day in the diving well for senior Ashley Malik. Malik placed second in both the 1- and 3-meter boards, behind last year's BIG EAST Champion from Rutgers, Erin Saunders.
In exhibition races, senior Stephanie Shupe placed second in the 100 fly and McCann finished third in the 200 IM.
Both the men and women will be back in action when they travels to the Ohio State Invitational from Dec. 3-6. The divers will also be diving at the Maryland Diving Invitational from Nov. 19-21.
