The Ohio State women’s swimming and diving team rounded out their three-meet, three-day series by defeating Ohio University, 222-95, in Athens, Ohio on Saturday. Strong showings from members of the freshmen class, Cook, Menninger and McNulty, proved to be a strong asset in lifting the Buckeyes over the Bobcats.
The Buckeye 400 medley relay contingent of Annie GIllig, Rachael Dzierzak, Amanda McNulty and Macie McNichols kept the race close, ensuring a second-place finish (3:47.84). In the event, Ohio State picked up six points toward its overall total.
Freshman Kathleen Cook, an Atlanta, Ga. native, picked up her first individual win of the afternoon in the 1000 freestyle (10:17.77). Keeping up the momentum, she posted a dominant performance in the 100 freestyle. With a time of 52.28, Cook recorded her second win of the meet.
Ohio State swept the top-three spots in the 200 backstroke. The Buckeyes were led by sophomore Lindsey Clary in first (1:52.28), while Erin Dunseith and Ashley Vance followed in second and third, respectively.
Gillig added two more solid swims for the Buckeyes. In the 100 backstroke, she took the runner-up spot in 56.74, and in the 500 freestyle she claimed victory with a time of 5:01.06.
A strong finish by McNulty in the 200 butterfly awarded her a first-place finish (2:02.06). McNichols then followed in suit, clinching the top spot in the 50 freestyle (24.03).
Newcomer Brittany Menninger was awarded a score of 282.83 for runner-up in the three-meter diving competition. She later followed it up with a first-place showing on the one-meter apparatus (280.05).
The 200 backstroke was swept by Buckeye veterans Lauren Davis (2:04.02), Dunseith and Clary. Taylor Vargo, a breaststroke specialist, furthered the squad’s point total when she took first in the 200 breaststroke (2:21.11). Annelise Sprau proceeded to record a win for the Buckeyes in the 100 butterfly shortly after (56.17).
Clary finished her solid three-meet showing in the 200 individual medley, touching in 2:06.41 for first.
The Buckeye relay team of Zhesi Li, Annie Jongekrig, Dzierzak and Sprau concluded the meet with a successful, first-place finish in the 200 free relay with a mark of1:34.56.
Ohio State returns to McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion on Thursday, Oct. 30th for a dual against Cleveland State. Races are set to begin at 6 p.m. (ET).
