Miami University
Ball State
Relay Team Salvages Victory over Ball State
1/22/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
Jan. 22, 2011
MUNCIE, Ind.--In the final event of the day, the 400 freestyle relay team of Bekka Westrick, Maddie Kete, Katie Arlinghaus and Chelsey Bruington combined to post a meet-winning effort Saturday as Miami University's women's swimming and diving team edged host Ball State. The RedHawks escaped with a 152.5 to 147.5 victory in Muncie, Indiana.
Trailing by four points going into the last race, Miami needed a victory in the 400 free relay to seal the win. Westrick swam the first leg, holding a half-second lead over her Cardinal counterpart, Nikki Saulters. After Westrick touched the wall at 53.27, Kete dove in to the pool and held her own against BSU's Mia Miller. extending Miami's lead to nearly two seconds. It was Miami's Arlinghaus against Ball State's Emily Wisolek in the third leg of the race, and the RedHawk sophomore from Oxford picked up another half-second for her teammates. Bruington, Miami's anchor, launched herself into the water almost two-and-a-half seconds ahead of BSU's Katie Bylsma. The junior from Mission Viejo, Calif. put together one of her best efforts of the season, streaking to a time of 52.22, a half-second better than her Cardinal challenger, giving the Miami quartet a combined time of 3:31.78, besting BSU's time of 3:34 flat.
Other top performances by the RedHawks on Saturday included a sweep of the 500 and 1000 freestyles by Miranda Kaltenborn, twin sprint victories in the 50 and 100 freestyle events by Westrick, and double triumphs by MEGAN BRUNN in the 100 breaststroke and the 200 individual medley. Each swimmer collected nine points per victory.
Bruington's triumph in the 200 freestyle and Kelsey Mallon's win in the 200 butterfly rounded out the RedHawks' first-place finishes.
Beside Kaltenborn, Westrick and Brunn's 18-point individual contributions, other point scorers included Bruington with 12 total points, Kete with seven points, Kelsey Vehr with six points, and diver CORY BANGS, Arlinghaus and JENNY WARMOLTS with five points apiece. Diver Lisa Werwinski, Mandi Grandjean, SARAH BULLOCK and MAEGAN O'CONNOR scored four points each, STACY CLAGG had three points, Brianna Fujan and MOLLY TYLER scored two points, and Cynthia Donovan, BRITTANY ROHR, NICOLE WAGNER and TAYLOR KOPLOW added one point apiece.
The team victory improved Miami's dual meet record to 8-1. It's ranked No. 1 in the CollegeSwimming.com/CSCAA Mid-Major Division 1 Poll.
Miami's next action is at home on Saturday (Jan. 29) when the RedHawks entertain defending Mid-American Conference Champion Toledo. The first event begins at 1 p.m.
--www.MURedHawks.com--
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