Cyclones Finish Third At Northwestern Invitational

11.20.2011 | Swimming and Diving

By: cyclones.com

EVANSTON, Ill.- The Iowa State Cyclone swimming and diving team finished the weekend at the TYR Northwestern Invitational with two event victories and a third place finish, with 693 points, just one point behind second place Illinois. Host Northwestern won the team title with 866 points.

"Today was a fantastic day," head coach Duane Sorenson said. "We had really solid races in the prelims and raced our hearts out in the evening at finals."

The Cyclones were able to dominate the 50-yard backstroke event with three top-eight finishes and Sarah Norris keeping her first-place finish from prelims to earn her second title in the event, clocking in with a time of 25.98. Dani Harris earned a third place finish a time of 26.51 and Bre Loeschke finished eighth touching the wall at 27.69.

"Sarah swam a fantastic race, it was her personal best time and it was great to see her able to come back and win the event again this year," Sorenson said.

In the 200 breaststroke Emily Wiltsie lead the Cyclones to a second place finish, personal-best time and an NCAA 'B' cut with a time of 2:15.56. It was the first NCAA qualifying time posted by a Cyclone swimmer this season. Marley Suckow came in fifth place with a time of 2:19.81 and Ali Stearns finished in 14th with a personal-best time of 2:22.90.

"I think Emily Wiltsie swam outstanding in the 200 breaststroke," Sorenson said. "It was her lifetime best and one-tenth of a second from the school record. She really stood up and raced her competition."

The team began the final afternoon session with Elizabeth Kleiner leading the Cyclones to a sixth place finish in the 1650 freestyle touching with a time of 17:15.19. The finish put Kleiner 10th overall in Cyclone history. Also competing in the mile for the Cyclones was Meredith Doran who finished in 12th place with a time of 17:30.20 and Kristy Kunkel who finished with a time of 17:45.21 in 14th place.

The Cyclones saw great success in the 50 butterfly event with Amanda Paulson and Norris taking second and third place with times of 24.98 and 25.06, respectively.

In the 200 backstroke, Harris earned a second place finish with a time of 2:01.73. Loeschke earned a fourth place finish with a time of 2:03.26, putting her eighth overall in Cyclone history.

Paulson earned her second top-eight finish of the afternoon in the 100 freestyle, finishing in sixth with a time of 51.75, a new personal best, and moving her 14th in Cyclone history. Katie Vollhaber also earned a season-best with a time of 52.73, finishing 15th.

The Cyclones finished the weekend with a fourth place finish in the 400 freestyle relay. The team of Paulson, Vollhaber, Britta Sortland and Sarah Deis clocked in at 3:25.76, fifth best in Cyclone history. The squad of Norris, Harris, Bri Carlberg and Kleiner took 11th with a time of 3:33.07 and Carissa Poeschel, Alex Gustafson, Doran and Kunkel took 12th with a final time of 3:33.54.

"Going into the 400 freestyle relay, we were not even within 3 seconds of Illinois but we swam outstanding and came up one point short," Sorenson said. "It came down to the last relay, but we swam outstanding and had three lifetime bests in the splits and we swam faster than we did at the Big 12's last season."

In the diving well, Sarah Nelson lead the Cyclones with a second place finish on platform with a final score of 231.85. The score gives Nelson her ticket to the NCAA Zone Diving Championships in March.

"It was Sarah Nelson's second best score that she's ever had," diving coach Jeff Warrick noted.

The Cyclones also took places four-through-seven with Jessica Nicholson finishing with 193.60 points, Marley Dobyns finishing with 188.20, Megan Cohea with 176.65 points and Dani Davis with a final score of 156.65.

"I am just really happy and it was our best day overall as a team," Warrick said. "It was the first time for the freshman on platform and I think they did great and Marley Dobyns was 20 points higher than she ever has before. She did a great job on all the changes we have been working on."

The Cyclones will return to action at home Dec. 9 to face Iowa in their annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series meeting. The meet is slated to begin at 6 p.m. CST.

Team Standings
1.Northwestern, 866
2. Illinois-Champaign, 694
3. Iowa State, 693
4. Nebraska, 517
5. Cleveland State, 465
6. Missouri State, 450
7. Illinois-Chicago, 207
8. Kenyon College, 205

Individual Standings (Iowa State point scorers listed)

Platform Diving
1.Cosima Lenz (Northwestern), 234.20
2. Sarah Nelson, 231.85
4. Jessica Nicholson, 193.60
5. Marley Dobyns, 188.20
6. Megan Cohea, 176.65
7. Dani Davis, 156.50

1650 Freestyle
1.Erin Sosdian (Northwestern), 16:43.79
6. Elizabeth Kleiner, 17:15.19
12. Meredith Doran, 17:30.20
14. Kristy Kunkel, 17:45.21

50 Butterfly
1, Alice Sommerville (Cleveland State), 24.76
2. Amanda Paulson, 24.98
3. Sarah Norris, 25.06

200 Backstroke
1.Anna Alhin (Missouri State), 1:59.94
2. Dani Harris, 2:01.73
4. Bre Loeschke, 2:03.26

100 Freestyle
1.Jackie Powell (Northwestern) 50.70
6. Amanda Paulson, 51.75
15. Katie Vollhaber, 52.73

200 Breaststroke
1.Jenny Wilson (Northwestern), 2:15.18
2. Emily Wiltsie, 2:15.56
5. Marley Suckow, 2:19.81
14. Ali Stearns, 2:22.90

50 Backstroke
1. Sarah Norris (Iowa State), 25.98
3. Dani Harris, 26.51
8. Bre Loeschke, 27.69

200 Butterfly
1. Meredith King (Northwestern), 2:01.66
14. Elizabeth Kleiner, 2:07.32

400 Freestyle Relay
1. Northwestern, 3:23.71
4. Iowa State (Paulson, Vollhaber, Sortland, Deis), 3:25.76