Case Western Reserve University senior Suhan Mestha recorded a NCAA 'B' cut time in the 100-yard backstroke during the second day of competition at the Wooster Invitational, as both the men's and women's squads sit in first place at the meet.
The women have scored 1,418 points through the two days to lead second-place Gannon (835) and third-place Wooster (745.5). The men have totaled 1,278 points to lead second-place Gannon (969.5) and third-place Ohio Northern (733). A total of 11 women's teams and 10 men's teams are in action at the meet.
Mestha paced the squad in the 100-yard backstroke, winning the event with a 'B' cut time of 56.17. It was her second 'B' cut of the meet. Sophomore Caitlyn VonFeldt finished right behind Mestha with a time of 57.54, while sophomore Olivia Love placed third with a time of 58.91. Other 'A' final finishers in the event were senior Bhavya Kumaran (fourth, 59.04 in the prelims), freshman Anna Smith (sixth, 58.76 in the prelims) and freshman Jackie Ngu (eighth, 1:00.31).
The women's 200-yard medley relay team of Mestha, VonFeldt, Smith and senior Alli Drohosky won the event with a time of 1:45.06. In addition, the 800-yard freestyle relay team of Olivia Picchione, Drohoksy, Rupert and Krueger finished first in the event with a time of 7:57.49.
The Spartan women were also particularly strong in the 400-yard individual medley, finishing with four 'A' final finishers. The 400-yard IM 'A' final finishers were junior Olivia Picchione (second, 4:43.53), freshman C.J. Hill (fourth, 4:47.37), sophomore Sarah Taekman (seventh, 4:48.38 in the prelims) and junior Julia Ver Voort (eighth, 4:49.28).
Other 'A' final finishers for the Spartan women on Friday included Smith (first, 57.02) and freshman Skye Fogle (fourth, 59.21 in the prelims) in the 100-yard butterfly, freshman Daniella Rupert (second, 1:57.02) and freshman Sarah Krueger (sixth, 1:58.92 in the prelims) in the 200-yard freestyle, senior Alexa Simoneau (third, 1:07.26), Drohosky (fifth, 1:06.83 in the prelims) and freshman Kelly Moton (sixth, 1:08.24 in the prelims) in the 100-yard breaststroke.
Freshman Hailey Seibert finished fifth in the women's one-meter dive with a score of 341.60.
The Spartan men were particularly strong in both the 400-yard individual medley and the 100-yard breaststroke, finishing with five 'A' final finishers in the 400-yard IM and three 'A' final finishers in the 100-yard breast. The 400-yard IM 'A' final finishers were sophomore Sean Twomey (first, 4:07.32 in the prelims), freshman Ryan Gorman (second, 4:09.82 in the prelims), sophomore Kyle Barclay (third, 4:11.09), senior Keith Erichsen (fourth, 4:12.85) and junior A.J. Quinn (sixth, 4:12.63 in the prelims). The 100-yard breast 'A' final finishers were sophomore Andrew Duffield (second, 58.59 in the prelims), sophomore Jonathan Liu (fifth, 58.55 in the prelims) and freshman Michael Schiml (sixth, 59.33 in the prelims).
Other 'A' final finishers for the Spartan men on Friday included sophomore Jakob Woerner (seventh, 52.01 in the prelims) and freshman Michael Clough (eighth, 52.30 in the prelims) in the 100-yard butterfly, freshman Neil Wible (fifth, 1:43.03 in the prelims) in the 200-yard freestyle, and freshman Nicholas Schoenig (sixth, 52.21) and freshman Ryan Gilbert (seventh, 52.82) in the 100-yard backstroke.
The Spartan men's 200-yard medley relay of Barclay, Duffield, sophomore Will McDonald and freshman Calvin Tecson added a third-place finish with a time of 1:34.45, while the 800-yard freestyle relay team of Erichsen, Wible, Schoenig and senior Brody Schmidt placed second in the event with a time of 6:58.58.
Sophomore Cassiel Yuzik finished fourth in the men's three-meter dive with a score of 404.10.
Action at the Wooster Invitational will conclude on Saturday, with the preliminaries starting at 10:00 a.m., and finals at 5:00 p.m.
