Ashland University's men's and women's swimming and diving teams split their home tri-meet on Saturday (Jan. 12) afternoon.
The Eagles were able to beat Ohio Wesleyan in both men's competition, 127-77, and women's competition, 140-76. Bellarmine beat Ashland in both men's, 133-71, and women's, 146-75, action.
Freshman Franci Aleksi continued his dominance of distance events, earning another two wins on Saturday. Aleksi earned the top spot in the 1,000-yard freestyle with a 9:47.18 finish. He also won the 500 free with a time of 4:46.08, just ahead of his Ashland counterpart, freshman Matt Filsinger, who finished in 4:49.38.
Ashland's women won four events on the day, two in swimming and both in diving.
Sophomore Tara Stevens won the 1,000 free with a time of 10:53.86, as she was the only woman to finish sub-11 minutes. Freshman Michaela Godfrey won the 200 backstroke, finishing in 2:10.31, just ahead of Eagle teammate and fellow freshman, Abigail Ellsworth, who finished in 2:13.56.
Sweeping the diving competition was junior Madeline Cronin. She won the 1-meter dive with a score of 192.92, and the 3-meter dive with a 201.55 score.
The Eagles also had several swimmers finish in second place in the meet.
Other second-place finishers on the men's side were the 200-yard medley relay team comprised of senior Keegan Goeke, senior Daniel Callis, junior Grant Stahl, and senior Ben Keilholz, Goeke in the 50 free with a 22.26 finish, Stahl in the 200 fly with a 2:02.48 finish, freshman Panos Nikakis in the 100 free with a 49.11 finish, Callis with a time of 2:19.84 in the 200 back, and the 200 free relay team made up of freshman Jacob Keilholz, Ben Keilholz, Nikakis and Filsinger, in 1:30.92.
On the women's side, the 200-yard medley relay of Ellsworth, senior Sophie Brightman, senior Julia Grady, and freshman Maura Delaney finished in second with a 1:55.02 time. Ellsworth also finished second in the 200-yard individual medley with a 2:16.20 result.
Ashland will compete next at home on Friday (Jan. 18) in the Messerly Natatorium at 4 p.m. against Malone and Urbana.
AU
SWIM/SVS
