Saturday 27 February 2021

FIU Holds Off an Upstart Rice, Clinches 7th-Straight C-USA Title | SwimSwam

By Karl Ortegon on SwimSwam

2021 C-USA CHAMPIONSHIPS

FIU took a four-point lead into the final day of competition, hoping to extend their win streak to seven. FIU went into this undefeated in the conference since they joined in for the 2014-15 season. While the lead swung back and forth, FIU’s diving group bailed them out heading into the 400 free relay, and they took number seven.

Jasmine Nocentini and Michaela Trnkova led the FIU Panthers tonight, as Nocentini took the 100 free in 49.07 and Trnkova won the 200 back with a 1:56.29. Trnkova led a Panther 1-2-4 in the 200 back, huge for them in the team race.

In the mile and 200 fly, Rice made things interesting. The Owls went 1-2 in the 1650, as Ellery Parish dropped a 16:35.99 to win by more than ten seconds. In the 200 fly, Rice senior Lindsay Mathys took a tight race over FIU sophomore Emily Cordovi and FIU senior Stephanie Hussey, going 1:59.37. Cordovi was 1:59.76 for second and Hussey 1:59.79 for third, while Rice had four swimmers in that A-final.

Marshall freshman Paige Banton had a breakout swim in the 200 breast. Entered at 2:17.27, she was 2:15.08 for the 2-seed this morning before dropping a 2:12.95 in the final.

After the 200 fly, Rice led by 27 points, with just the platform diving and 400 free relay remaining. Rice had no divers in the platform event, though, while FIU had six. Maha Gouda won the platform in 322.80, and led the FIU divers to push the Panthers into an insurmountable lead.

FIU closed things out with a 400 free relay win, breaking 3:20 for a 3:19.04. Nocentini anchored it in 49.19, while lead-off Lamija Ledosevic (49.91) and third leg Kelsie Campbell (49.80) also broke 50.

FINAL TEAM SCORES

  1. Florida International University – 956.5
  2. Rice University – 905.5
  3. University of North Texas – 468
  4. Florida Atlantic University – 425
  5. Marshall University – 416
  6. Old Dominion University – 237

Read the full story on SwimSwam: FIU Holds Off an Upstart Rice, Clinches 7th-Straight C-USA Title

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