ST.GEORGE, Utah- Fresno State swim team concludes the first day of the Utah Tech Trailblazer Invite at the HPC Pool, as do the divers in Flagstaff for the NAU Lumberjack Invite at Wall Aquatic Center.
How it happened
In Flagstaff, the diving 'Dogs saw a slow start in the 3-meter springboard. Parker Connor earned the Bulldogs highest finish in 24th place with 206.20 points, Grace Ally placed close by in 26th place with 195.80 points and Averee Estep in 34th place with 165.20 points.
In St. George, Fresno State saw success in all events pushing at least four swimmers in each event to Thursday nights finals, with a grand six in the 500 freestyle. Laura Kalmar, Riley Baldwin, Samarah Melia (500 Free), Aliz Kalmar, Sera Hanagan, Franzi Djatej, Korrie Tengan (200 IM), Julia Matney and Sienna Cheg-Lucey (50 Free)all swam a scoring finals heat.
Fresno State opened finals with the 200 medley relay, adding 0.01 in the event and took fifth place. Matney held a 23.64 lead-off split while Jenna Pulkkinen anchored with a 22.86 split. Baldwin and Kalmar swam into a top five finish in the 500 free. Baldwin grabbed fourth place (4:57.74) and L. Kalmar good for fifth place (5:01.01). Melia earned points in the long distance race with a ninth place finish (4:56.98).
A. Kalmar touched for sixth in the 200 IM, dropping 1.45 seconds off of her preliminary time (2:02.68). Hanagan grabs the final spot in the championship heat with eighth place at 2:04.60. Freshman Djatej took third in the consolation heat, finishing 11th in the event (2:04.23), Tengan in 13th (2:04.79). Out of scoring reach for points, Sam Arredondo is good for 17th (2:05.37) and Katie Ueda in 19th place (2:05.57).
Bulldogs went 1-2 in the consolation heat of the 50 freestyle. Matney caught ninth overall (23.42) and Cheng-Lucey trailed in tenth (23.44). First day concluded with the 400 medley relay finishing in third place with a time of 3:39.70, just over a second shy of the program record (3:38.94).
Up Next: The action continues for the second day of the invitationals bright and early. Friday's preliminary session in St. George will begin at 10 a.m. MT with events 100 butterfly, 400 IM, 200 free, 100 breast and 100 backstroke. Divers are set to start at 10 a.m. MT for the platform and team event.