Akron Zips Take Lead on Night Two of Mid-American Conference Championships

sarah-watson
Photo Courtesy: Carlos Morales

The Akron Zips and Buffalo Bulls are in a tight battle for the Mid-American Conference women’s title with one day to go as the Zips have won the last seven conference titles. Despite winning both relays, Buffalo sits in second after leading last night as the Bulls are trying to end Akron’s winning streak while Miami, who was the last team to win before Akron’s reign, sits in third place.

Results

Team Scores

  1. Akron, 506
  2. Buffalo, 494
  3. Miami, 311.5
  4. Ohio, 262
  5. Ball State, 213
  6. Eastern Michigan, 204
  7. Toledo, 180
  8. Bowling Green, 168.5

The Bulls got the night started with a win in the 200 medley relay with a 1:37.82. The team of Nicole Roitenberg (25.19), Katie Pollock (27.07), Jillian Lawton (24.00) and Toni Naccarella (21.56) won just ahead of Akron (1:38.10). The Bulls book-ended the night with a win in the 800 free relay, touching at 7:16.17 in a dual with Miami (7:16.39). Buffalo’s team of Brittney BeetcherMarij van der Mast, Maddy Rogan, and Naccarella won ahead of the Redhawks who swam with Nicole MaierAshlyn UnderhillCamila Lins de Mello and Honor Brodie-Foy.

Naccarella won the 200 free in a 1-3 finish with van der Mast as Naccarella won at 1:47.97, ahead of Ball State’s Marcella Ribeiro (1:48.13) and van der Mast (1:48.23). Katie Pollock returned in the next event to win the 100 breast at 1:00.66 ahead of Akron’s Paula Garcia (1:01.47) and Ball State’s Alex Bader (1:01.74).

Akron’s Sarah Watson had perhaps the best swim of the night with a 52.04 in the 100 butterfly, which put her 25th in Division I this season as she was a 52.07 already this season which qualified her for NCAAs. Watson ended up 22nd last month in Greensboro and was 0.17 off of scoring.

Bowling Green’s Daisy Platts had an equally impressive swim in winning the 100 back at 52.39 as her time put her tied for 26th in Division I this year, improving on her 52.65 from NCAAs where she was 21st in Greensboro. Watson and Platts had the task of swimming at NCAAs before their conference championship as the MAC was one of the conferences that elected to ensure a championships would happen this year whether an NCAAs would occur or not.

Miami’s Nicole Maier, who did not swim at NCAAs but put up a time in the 500 that would have scored in the A-Final yesterday, won the 400 IM at 4:11.30. The time would have been 23rd at NCAAs last month as she broke the conference record of 4:13.97 set by Akron’s Jackie Pash in 2017.

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