Contact: Jeff Sattora
CHICAGO-The Cleveland State Vikings' women's swimming and diving team ended Friday night in first place in the team standings at the Horizon League Championships for the third straight night, holding onto a 487.5-478 lead over second place Milwaukee.
For Head Coach Wally Mortonthe team is right where he wants and expects it to be heading into the meet's final day.
"It's always my goal as a head coach that we're the hunt, that we have a chance to win the championship," Morton said. And that is exactly where they are.
Two veterans who are making sure to put the Vikings in that spot are Alice Sommerville and Alexandra Johansson, who continue to be linked in strong performances at the Horizon League Championships as they finished 1-2 in the finals of the 100 butterfly Friday night. This was the second consecutive day that the pair finished 1-2 in an event, with Johansson out-touching Sommerville in the 50-freestyle Thursday. The senior Sommerville returned the favor Friday taking home first place in the 100 fly in 55.07, with Johansson coming in just behind her at 55.74.
The Vikings had two other top-three finishes for the women individually on day three. Senior Joanna Olsson clocked the first of those finishes in the 400 IM, placing third at 4:28.55. Sommerville also had a third place showing in the 100 breaststroke in 1:02.73.
Other CSU women's swimmers that made Championship finals on day three of the League Championships included Kayley Chevalier who finished seventh in the 400 IM (4:39.28), Christine Kopacko (1:53.16) and Gretchen Hestley (1:53.91) placing sixth and eighth in the 200 freestyle, and Hayley Smith in seventh in the 100 backstroke (58.45).
On the diving side of things freshman Sammi Sposet picked up a fourth place finish in the 1-meter dive Friday, scoring 254.00 to pick up the 15 fourth place points. Junior Kathleen Chandleralso placed and scored for the Vikings' diving squad, scoring eighth at 209.60.
The 800 freestyle relay finished the night for the CSU women as Joanna Olsson, Gretchen Hestley, Christine Kopacko, and Jamie Puls teamed up for a fourth place finish with a time of 7:36.88.
While Morton was happy with the way the team stepped up and performed on day three, he knows nothing is set in stone yet.
"We did a great job today, but it's a grueling week, it comes down to focus, attitude and will to win on the last day (tomorrow)," Morton said. "We just want them to do their very best and if they do that the score takes care of itself."
The Vikings will look to hold onto first place in the standings tomorrow evening in the final day of the Horizon League Championships at UIC.
