TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Olivia Diruzza notched her first event win of the 2022-23 season, while Alexa Szadorski paced the Sycamores in two events to lead Indiana State on the first day of the Missouri State/Miami (Ohio) Tri-Meet held at the Vigo County Aquatic Center.
 
The Sycamores trail Miami 102.0-65.0 and are behind MVC rival Missouri State 90.5-75.5 following the first eight events of the weekend.
 
Indiana State opened the evening at the Aquatic Center with the quartet of Madie Rutan, Kaimi Matsumoto, Marni Gray, and Chloe Farro finishing third overall in the 400-yard Medley Relay field in 3:44.18. The Sycamores added two more teams in the event with the B-squad of Carmen Alard Vegas, Elle Gilkerson, Raine Boles, and Kalli Agapios finishing in 3:48.25, while the C-group of Tori Johns, Makayla Sura, Rebecca Shaffer, and Kamila Nowak finishing in 3:59.07.
 
The Sycamores had a trio of sub-5:00 times in the 500-yard Freestyle event as Andrea Putrimas (4:57.07, 5th), Esther Rydbeck Nordan (4:59.57, 7th), and Molly Fogarty (4:59.73, 8th) all went under the mark on the afternoon. Fogarty's mark was a career-best for the senior and took nearly four seconds off her previous best set back in the 2019 season. Rhiannon Wozny (5:04.66, 13th) and Jordan Gruce (5:07.59, 14th) rounded out the Sycamores that placed in the event.
 
Four Sycamores were in the top-10 in the 200-yard IM led by Alexa Szadorski's 2:04.69. Katie Dougherty finished right behind her teammate in 2:04.72, while Alexandria Cotter (2:06.18, 8th), and Alard Vegas (2:06.62, 9th) rounded out the tops for the Sycamores in the field. Colleen O'Connor rounded out the Sycamores that placed with a time of 2:09.82.
 
Matsumoto added a top-three finish in the 100-yard Breaststroke as the Sycamores placed four more in the top-10 in the field. Matsumoto's time of 1:03.39 put her third overall, while Gilkerson finished three spots back in sixth following her 1:04.64. Dorotea Bukvic finished eighth with a time of 1:04.98 and Peyton Heagy went 1:06.16 to finish 10th in the field. Makayla Sura wrapped up the ISU athletes that placed in the event in 1:09.73.
 
Diruzza's 200-yard Backstroke victory highlighted four Sycamores in the top-eight in the event field. The freshman was .11 behind her personal-best with a time of 2:00.33 to take the event win. Rutan added a top-three finish in 2:01.12, while Alard Vegas finished seventh in 2:03.46. Agapios rounded out the top-eight in 2:03.63 to finish eighth. Trista Bullock (2:05.61, 11th) rounded out the Sycamores who placed on the day.
 
Szadorski was tops among the Sycamores in the 100-yard Freestyle event as the sophomore tied for fourth in the field in 51.16. Farro finished just behind her teammate in 51.34 in sixth overall, while freshman Peyton Heagy touched the wall in 51.93 to finish ninth. Boles (52.29, 11th) and Jordan Gruce (52.43, 12th) rounded out ISU's swimmers in the field.
 
Katie Dougherty was the Sycamores' top finisher in the 200-yard Butterfly as the grad transfer finished in 2:02.15 to place fourth overall in the field. Gray was sixth overall in 2:03.30, while freshman Haley Halsall touched in 2:06.54 to finish 10th overall. Cotter (2:06.63, 11th) and Fogarty (2:06.75, 12th) also placed for Indiana State.
 
The Sycamores' 200-yard Freestyle Relay nearly pulled off the comeback in finishing second overall in the field. The quartet of Matsumoto, Szadorski, Agapios, and Farro finished in 1:33.12 to finish .52 ahead of Missouri State in the event. The B-team of Boles, Cotter, Gruce, and Heagy touched in 1:35.52 to finish fifth overall. The final quartet of Trista Bullock, Nowak, Diruzza, and Gilkerson finished in 1:38.64.
 
Zoe Smith posted her best finish of the 2022-23 season in the 3-Meter Diving event on Friday. The junior posted a 270.95 to finish second overall in the field behind Miami (Ohio)'s 297.35. Daniela Orta Castaneda finished fifth in the field with a score of 222.05, while Bailey Betzer was eighth (204.95). Sierra Bowman rounded out the group in 201.30.
 
Top ISU Performers in Each Event
400-Yard Medley Relay: Madie Rutan, Kaimi Matsumoto, Marni Gray, Chloe Farro (3:44.18, 3rd)
500-Yard Freestyle: Andrea Putrimas (4:57.07, 5th)
200-Yard IM: Alexa Szadorski (2:04.69, 4th)
100-Yard Breaststroke: Kaimi Matsumoto (1:03.39, 3rd)
200-Yard Backstroke: Olivia Diruzza (2:00.33, 1st)
100-Yard Freestyle: Alexa Szadorski (51.16, T-4th)
200-Yard Butterfly: Katie Dougherty (2:02.15, 4th)
200-Yard Freestyle Relay: Kaimi Matsumoto, Alexa Szadorski, Kalli Agapios, Chloe Farro (1:33.12, 2nd)
3M Diving: Zoe Smith (270.95, 2nd)
 
Up Next
Indiana State is back in action tomorrow morning as the Sycamores, Redhawks, and Bears close out the weekend event at the Vigo County Aquatic Center. The event schedule starts at 10 a.m. ET.
 
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