FRESNO, Calif. - The Fresno State swim and dive team completed the first day of the Fresno State Invitational at the Fresno State Aquatics Center on Friday. The Bulldogs sit in third place with 395.50 points after two sessions closely trailing the Cougars.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Fresno State opened the meet on a high note taking the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:41.72. Sienna Cheng-Lucey, Aliz Kalmar, Julia Matney and Wiktoria Dabrowska out swam UCLA's A relay by 0.09 to take the first event win.
Laura Kalmar pushed for a top-ten finish in the 500 freestyle and touched sixth for a time of 5:04.13.
Bulldogs claimed a whopping 37 points in the 200 individual medley. Aliz Kalmar touched for sixth place (2:04.49) followed by Sam Arredondo for eighth place (2:05.36), Sera Hanagan on the cusp of the top-ten took eleventh. Freshmen Ryley Clark and Franziska Diatej grab their first points as Bulldogs in their first races, Clark for 13th place with four points Djatej for 16th with the final scoring point.
Julia Matney grabs the 'Dogs another twelve points with a 7th place finish in the 50 freestyle, good for 23.68. Fresno State clinched a top-five finish in the 200 freestyle relay for a time of 1:35.59, which featured freshman Djatej as the anchor.
Aliz Kalmar got comfortable in the top slot, taking second place in the 100 IM with a time of 4:22.52 and the 100 breaststroke (1:01.79) shortly after. Freshman Cheng-Lucey secured her first points as a Bulldog after taking sixth in the 100 backstroke for a time of 56.60.
Final event of the day was capped off by an electric 800 freestyle relay that saw the 'Dogs go neck-and-neck with the Cougars. 'Dogs took fourth trailing by second for a time of 7:35.83.
On the south side of the pool, divers competed in the 3-meter and 1-meter. Grace Ally took the top spot for the dogs with a sixth place finish with 241.20. The 1-meter team event saw Averee Estep, Parker Connor and Grace Ally combine for 187.85 points taking fifth place in the event.
NOTES
Fresno State saw one event win (200 medley relay) on the first day
True freshman Ryley Clark and Franzi earned points for the Bulldogs in their first meet
Top-three scorers for the Bulldogs; Aliz Kalmar (49 points), Julia Matney (27 points) and Sam Arredondo (25 points)
Sienna Cheng-Lucey leads the way for the freshman with 13 points
UP NEXT: Fresno State will complete the invite with the final session on Saturday morning at the Fresno State Aquatics Center at 10 a.m.
RESULTS - Team standings through event 12
UCLA - 661.5
San Diego State - 522
Fresno State - 395.50
Washington State - 389
San Jose State - 178
Hawaii - 53 (diving only)