By Cathleen Pruden, Swimming World College Intern
A number of teams used the NYU Invitational as a final tune up before conference championship action. The non-scoring event took place in three timed finals sessions Friday night and Saturday.
Women’s Meet
University of Bridgeport’s 200 freestyle relay team of Yekaterina Gakhokidze, Nina Stegu, Alja Tavcar, and Tatiana Shepel won the first event of the meet in a time of 1:38.63. A pair of Lehigh teammates had a great race in the 1650 as Courtney Patterson touched in 16:58.68 and Cora Summerfield finished in 17:00.56. The 200 backstroke went to Bridgeport’s Claudia Esteban (2:08.78), just ahead of NYU’s Isabel Corgel (2:09.28). Gakhokidze touched first in the 100 freestyle (52.53). NYU swimmer Elle Tucker touched first in the 200 breaststroke (2:25.39). Her teammate, Emily Molinelli was the lone participant in the 200 butterfly, and stopped the clock at 2:12.60. Bridgeport wrapped up Friday night’s action with another relay win. Gakhokidze, Jaimy Taskin, Nina Stegu, and Shepel stopped the clock at 4:03.11 in the 400 medley relay.
LIU Post recorded its first win Saturday morning in the 200 medley relay. The squad of Seren Jones, Caitlin Johnstone, Joyce Kwok, and Meghan Brazier recorded a time of 1:48.24. Kwok earned an individual victory in the 100 butterfly (56.97). Johnstone also won individually, narrowly taking the 100 breaststroke with her time of 1:07.57. Teammate Meghan Brazier topped the 100 backstroke (59.52). In the 800 freestyle relay, Johnstone, Eline Swensen, Karis Fuller, and Kat Kazaba combined for a time of 8:05.44. St. Peter’s Christina Petrelis won a close 400 IM (4:39.62). Stevens’ Courtney Jones topped the 200 freestyle (1:55.68).
Haley Wen started things off Saturday evening, winning the 500 freestyle (5:03.04) for the home team. Her teammate Brienne Renfurm sprinted to first in the 50 freestyle (25.38). Stevens’ Sarah Jurczyk grabbed the win in the 200 IM (2:12.16). The Violets and Ducks had a great race in the 400 freestyle relay, but NYU’s Renfurm, Alex McGurk, Corgel, and Wen (3:46.47) out touched Stevens by one tenth of a second.
Men’s Meet
Saint Peter’s University started things off quickly in the 200 freestyle relay. Igal Oren, Bence Greifenstein, Sean Dunne, and Eliran Epshtein posted a time of 1:24.97. NYU’s Austin Palmer was the top finisher in the 1650 (16:10.46). University of Bridgeport swimmers won the next four events. Will Du Plessis (1:53.82) was first while Diego Marques finished second (1:56.07) in the 200 backstroke. Oren touched first in the 100 freestyle (46.09). Greifenstein won the 200 breaststroke (2:02.62). Nick Riepe swam a 1:54.79 to win the 200 butterfly. The Bridgeport men were dominant in the 400 medley relay, finishing in a time of 3:29.04 with the A team of Du Plessis, Ican Capan, Didac Matsuyama, and Juan Mafla.
Saint Peter’s began Saturday morning action recording a win in the 200 medley relay (1:33.19) behind the swims of Dunne, Greifenstein, Epshtein, and Oren. Their teammate Thomas Calloni won the 200 freestyle (1:43.31). Greifenstein was back again to win the 100 breaststroke (55.87). Palmer swam alone in the 400 IM, but posted a 4:09.36. The men’s 100 butterfly was a tie between Stevens’ Austen Young and NYU’s Steven Turnbull (51.86). In the 100 backstroke, Drexel’s Greg Buckley was first (54.05). The University of Maine, Orono won a very close 800 freestyle relay (7:08.63) with the team of Nick Sundquist, Coulter Morrill, Matt England, and Andrew Majeski.
Palmer continued his distance success, winning the 500 freestyle (4:38.56) Saturday afternoon. His teammate Jason Bo was the winner of the 200 IM (1:56.94). Maine’s Sundquist sprinted to the win in the 50 freestyle (21.42). St. Peters’ Oren, Calloni, Dunne, and Epshtein finished the meet with a 400 freestyle relay win (3:05.79).
Full results available here: 2016 NYU Invite – Results
Yea!!! Elle Tucker!! ?