CHAMPAIGN-URBANA, Ill. – Indiana State opened up the 2022-23 season on the road as the Sycamores fell to host Illinois on Saturday afternoon at the ARC Pool, 165-135.
 
The Sycamores took seven event wins in their first meet of the season with ISU sweeping both the diving and the backstroke events on Saturday. ISU also took home event wins in the 200 Medley Relay, the 400 Freestyle Relay, and the 100 Freestyle in the loss.
 
"Today was a solid first official meet," head coach Josh Christensen said. "We definitely had some big highlights on the day. Winning both relays on the road against a Big Ten school is a nice showing. The divers were great and really showed the strides we've made there. It was a very competitive meet all the way through and I'm proud of the energy we brought throughout the meet."
 
The Sycamores started off Saturday's meet with their first win of the 2022-23 season as the quartet of Carmen Alard Vegas, Kaimi Matsumoto, Marni Gray, and Chloe Farro topped the field with a time of 1:45.64.
 
ISU would add a top-three finish in the 1000 Freestyle with Esther Rydbeck Norden making her ISU debut on her way to finishing third with a time of 10:40.12.
 
Alard Vegas would go on to pick up her second win of the day out-touching the field in the 100-yard Backstroke event with a time of 57.24. Madie Rutan put together her first top-three of the season in the event with a time of 57.74.
 
Alexa Szadorski (3rd, 100 Breast – 1:06.57), Alexandria Cotter (2nd, 200 Fly – 2:06.66), Gray (3rd, 200 Fly - 2:07.37), Farro (2nd, 50 Free – 24.10), and Kalli Agapios (3rd, 50 Free – 24.43) added top three finishes just prior to the first break of the day.
 
Zoe Smith (263.25) and Bailey Betzer (251.33) went 1-2 in the women's 3M diving event to add to the Sycamores' titles on the day.
 
Coming out of the break, Farro put the Sycamores back atop the podium finishing first in the field in the 100 Free with a time of 52.40. Rutan followed with a win in the 200 Backstroke touching the wall in 2:03.87.
 
Andrea Putrimas added her first top-three result of the 2022-23 season in the 500 Free with a time of 5:09.04. Gray (2nd, 56.69) and Cotter (3rd, 57.40) added top-three finishes in the 100 Fly, while Cotter added her third top-three result of the day in the 200 IM with a time of 2:05.95.
 
Smith and Betzer followed up with a 1-2 finish in the 1M diving event with Smith topping the field following her 256.43, while Betzer took second in 242.70.
 
ISU wrapped up the day with a win in the 400 Freestyle Relay as the team of Farro, Matsumoto, Peyton Heagy, and Szadorski touched the wall in 3:29.54
 
Saturday's result left Christensen proud of the fight within his team as they look ahead to the remainder of the 2022-23 schedule.
 
"Definitely have some places we need to be better that could have swung the final score in our favor," Christensen said. "We're leaving really proud of the way we fought and represented our program, but hungry to get back to work and keep getting better."
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Top ISU Performers in Each Event
200-Yard Medley Relay: First Place – Carmen Alard Vegas, Kaimi Matsumoto, Marni Gray, Chloe Farro (1:45.64)
1000-Yard Free: Third Place – Esther Rydback Norden (10:40.12)
200-Yard Free: Sixth Place – Andrea Putrimas (1:56.18)
100-Yard Back: First Place – Carmen Alard Vegas (57.24)
100-Yard Breast: Third Place – Alexa Szadorski (1:06.57)
200-Yard Fly: Second Place – Alexandria Cotter (2:06.66)
50-Yard Free: Second Place – Chloe Farro (24.10)
1M Diving: First Place – Zoe Smith (263.25)
100-Yard Free: First Place – Chloe Farro (52.40)
200-Yard Back: First Place – Madie Rutan (2:03.87)
200-Yard Breast: Fourth Place – Dorotea Bukvic (2:24.64)
500-Yard Free: Third Place – Andrea Putrimas (5:09.04)
100-Yard Fly: Second Place – Marni Gray (56.69)
3M Diving: First Place – Zoe Smith (256.43)
200-Yard IM: Third Place – Alexandria Cotter (2:05.95)
400-Yard Free Relay: First Place – Chloe Farro, Kaimi Matsumoto, Peyton Heagy, Alexa Szadorski (3:29.54)
 
Up Next
Indiana State continues the 2022-23 season on the road at a MVC Quad-Meet hosted by Illinois Chicago at the Flames Natatorium on October 21-22. The meet is set to start at 6 p.m. ET on Friday night, while Saturday's events are set to start at noon.
 
Follow the Sycamores
For the latest information on Sycamore Swimming and Diving, visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Fans can also receive updates on Sycamore Athletics by downloading the March On App from the both the App Store and the Google Play Store.