By Adam Tulloch
CCSU swimming and diving team discovered what home team advantage meant when they swept Wagner University in all 16 events for a 109-101 victory.
Sophomore Taylor Friedman contributed in the victory by winning three events, including the 400 freestyle relay team. Friedman had finished the events for the 200 and 500 individual freestyles before entering the 400-relay event. The relay team finished with a time of 3:40.43.
Friedman along with junior Alex Czaplicki, sophomore Katie Lang and new recruit freshman Helene Neuhaus comprised the winning relay team for the Blue Devils. Both teammates, Neuhaus and Czaplicki, combined for two-event victories before leading up to the 400- freestyle matching Friedman in events.
“I think we’re doing really well, we’re kind of beat up from the previous events, but the time we gain from the diving event help get the rest we need to keep us going,” Swimming Coach Bill Ball explained “we grabbed our second breeze, so were right back in were we need to be in these events.”
The diving competition was much of the same story, with CCSU once again sweeping all of the events. Wagner diver Kelly Edmonds did not finish in the three-meter diving event due to a dangerous dive. Entering the water awkwardly, Wagner arose uninjured, but was unable to return to the competition.
CCSU junior diver Madison Vestergaard took first in both the one-meter and the three-meter diving events.
“We’re at a good gauge right now I think we are in the right place that we need to be,” explained Coach Ball. “We just need to rest before the next competition, the team is tired. Preparing for Boston is important. Getting some rest and improving is what we will be working on.”
The Blue Devils’ next meet will be in Boston at MIT for the NEC Championships, held Feb. 17 through the 19.