The penultimate day of the 2017 Horizon League Swimming Championship came to a close with Oakland’s men’s and women’s team extending their lead in the team race. On the men’s side, the Golden Grizzlies have accumulated 559.5 points to lead Cleveland State (431) heading into the final day. The Oakland women hold the top spot with 539.5 points with Milwaukee in second with 449.5.
Emily Hayhow of Wright State opened the final session with an NCAA B Standard 53.98 to win the women’s 100 Butterfly. Cleveland State’s Philipp Sikatzki posted a 45.97 time in the men’s 100 Butterfly, also an NCAA B Standard time, and claimed the men’s title.
Oakland’s Patricia Aschan stood out from the women’s 400 IM crowd, winning the Horizon League title by more than four seconds and posting an NCAA B Standard time of 4:15.06. Patrik Lofgren won the men’s 400 IM for Oakland with 3:45.73 in the finals heat.
A tight women’s 200 Freestyle was won by Milwaukee’s Mandie Siehs (1:49.18) who out-touched UIC’s Lexie Joy (1:49.65) and Viktoria Orosz of Youngstown State (1:49.89). Tuomas Kiviluoma of Oakland posted a convincing win in the men’s race, notching a B Standard 1:37.32.
Takara Martin of Oakland (1:01.22) outdueled teammate Rachel Waite (1:01.49) to win the women’s 100 Breaststroke. Both times met the NCAA B standard. Cleveland State’s Tommi Wolst turned in an impressive swim to win the men’s 100 Breaststroke in 54.41 – a B Standard time. He outlasted Milwaukee’s Jacob Barson, who also notched a B Standard of 55.37.
Milwaukee’s Sara Bentley won the women’s 100 Backstroke in 55.10, while Cleveland State’s Philipp Sikatzki was the class of a strong men’s field, winning in 46.63 (NCAA B), ahead of Oakland’s Paul Huch (47.17 – NCAA B) and Aleksander Danielewski (48.29 – NCAA B).
Kyah Fleckner of Wright State earned the championship in the women’s 1 Meter Diving competition, earning awards totaling 265.2 in the finals.
In the 400 Medley Relays, Oakland’s women took top honors in 3:41.51 while Cleveland State (3:12.74) held off a late charge by Oakland (3:13.14) to earn the top spot on the podium.
The final day of the 2017 Horizon League Swimming and Diving Championship begins Saturday at 10 a.m. with preliminary competition. Finals will begin at 5:30 p.m. and will be streamed live in ESPN3.
Team scores after day three:
WOMEN’S TEAM SCORES
1. Oakland 539.5
2. Milwaukee 449.5
3. Green Bay 312
4. UIC 291
5. Cleveland State 281
6. Wright State 269
7. Youngstown State 261
8. Valparaiso 69
MEN’S TEAM SCORES
1. Oakland 559.5
2. Cleveland State 431
3. UIC 353
4. Wright State 279.5
5. Milwaukee 250
6. Green Bay 249
7. Valparaiso 105
