Tech turns in strong first day at H2Okie Fall Invite

Hespeler takes first in 500 free and two relay events

November 17, 2016

Day 1 Results | Men's Diving Results

CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. - The Virginia Tech swimming and diving team used strong performances in the evening session to take early leads on both the men’s and women’s sides after day one of the H₂Okie Fall Inviational.

The H₂Okie men lead second-place Navy, 443.5-176, while the Tech women hold a 354-257 advantage over second-place Purdue. Day two will begin tomorrow with prelims at 10 a.m. and will wrap up with the finals beginning at 6 p.m.

Senior Fiona Donnelly took first in the 200 IM and in the 400 medley relay where she swam the first leg. Classmate Jess Hespeler joined Donnelly in the 400 medley A unit for the H₂Okies and also turned in the fastest time in the 500 free.

In diving, sophomore Ashlynn Peters placed second in the three meter with a score of 308.5 to earn 17 points. Sophomore Ben Schiesl took first on the men’s side in the one meter with a 347.05 and junior Jack Gigliotti registered a 311.65 to take third.

PERFORMANCES OF THE DAY
-Hespeler went head-to-head with a tough opponent in Purdue’s Kaersten Meitz in the 500 free. Despite having a prelim time that was two seconds slower, Hespeler pulled away with a first place time of 4:40.51, tenths of a second off the school record of 4:40.03.
-In the prelims, sophomore Ian Ho topped his personal best that he set last week against Notre Dame and Pitt with a 19:87 in the 50 free.
-The H₂Okies went one and two in the men’s 500 free and women’s 200 IM. Sophomore Michael Craddock set a new personal best with a 4:26.08 in the 500 free and he was followed by freshman Hassler Carroll who finished with a 4:28.62.
-Donnelly nearly matched her program record in the 200 IM with a B-cut time of 1:58.20. Junior Kladuia Nazieblo finished second also with a B-cut time of 1:58.41.

NOTABLE SWIMS
-Both of Tech’s A units took first in the 200 free relay with the women H₂Okies posting a 1:31.73 and the men turning in an impressive time of 1:19.69. Senior Brandon Fiala started the race with a split of 19.98 in the first leg and sophomore Ian Ho followed with a 20.10 split, putting the race out of reach after the second leg.
-Tech dominated the men’s 200 IM as four H₂Okies placed in the top four, all B-cut times, with sophomore Norbert Szabo leading the way with a 1:44.92.
-Finishing third in the 500 free finals behind Hespeler was freshman Jenna Beattie who posted a 4:51.40.

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