CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois University’s women’s swimming and diving program completed day two of the Missouri Valley Conference Championships in second-place, with 363.5 points, just behind Missouri State. Freshman Mima Zaborska broke her previously set 100-breaststroke record and set a new conference standard.
In diving, freshman Ally Brown garnered a spot in Friday’s “A” final on the three-meter, recording 230.95 points in a preliminaries fourth place finish. Junior Laura Mircea earned a spot to the three-meter “B” final, placing third with 195.70.
To start off the evening, the relay squad of Lucia Romero, Mima Zaborska, Imogen Watson, and Sierra Forbord put the Salukis on the podium, with a near-record performance in the 200-medley relay at 1:41.18 and a second place finish.
The lone Saluki in the 400-individual medley, freshman Fernanda Sanchez, clocked in for a sixth place finish at a time of 4:28.31 — a newfound personal best and top time for SIU this season.
Swimming her season best in the 100-butterfly, senior Abigail Young swam the event for the last time; gaining some time slightly and tying for seventh-place with Indiana State’s Sarah Moreau at 56.47.
Senior Sierra Forbord saw silver in the evening, swimming her lifetime best in the 200-freestyle event at 1:48.94, shortening her preliminaries time by over a minute. Freshman Nicole Hortonfollowed behind, garnering a spot in the “A” final from preliminaries, taking eighth-place for the Salukis.
Both Zaborska and Romero saw individual first-place titles for Southern tonight. The freshman Zaborska, broke her own school record in the 100-breaststroke in a tight race to Missouri State, taking the top spot on the podium at 1:01.15 and setting a new Missouri Valley record. The reigning MVC 100-backstroke champion Romero, took the title yet again, with a 54.65 clock, out-swimming the next two below her, Missouri State, and Illinois State.
Also seeing the pool in “A” final competition, senior Imogen Watson swam a 55.70 in the 100-backstroke, placing fifth and seeing her season-best time as a Saluki.
With a rough start in the final event of the evening, the 800-freestyle relay (F. Sanchez, Eden Girloanta, Horton, and Gaby Jenkins), missed the podium in seventh-place, hitting the wall at 7:38.91.
Day three action continues inside Shea Natatorium, tomorrow morning with preliminaries starting at 10am. Follow the along on the Missouri Valley and SIU Championship Central page for streaming, times, and schedule information.
DAY TWO STANDINGS
Missouri State – 618.5
Southern Illinois – 363.5
Indiana State – 322.5
Illinois State – 282
Northern Iowa – 224
Little Rock – 223
Evansville – 210.5
Valparaiso – 95