CARBONDALE, ILL. – Indiana State split the SIU Tri-Meet as the Sycamores topped Quincy 254-39, while falling to host Southern Illinois by a score of 151-149, on Saturday afternoon at the Shea Natatorium.
 
The Sycamores took eight event wins on the afternoon highlighted by Chloe Farro sweeping the 50- and 100-yard Freestyle events, while Bailey Betzer picked up her first win of the season in the 3M Diving event. Claire Parsons, Kaleigh Kelley, and Alexandria Cotter added individual wins on the day, while the Sycamores swept both relay events at the meet.
 
"Really proud of the fight our team showed all the way to the end today," head coach Josh Christensen said. "Obviously hurts to lose the meet by the smallest of margins and we can look back and see several places that could have changed that outcome. Definitely a learning opportunity in that regard."
 
"The last three events showed how much heart this team has and our ability to rise to the challenge," he continued. "That's going to serve us well over these next couple of meets and at the MVC Championships."
 
Indiana State opened the day's action taking the opening 200-yard Medley Relay as the grouping of Alexandria Cotter, Ali Pearson, Kaleigh Kelley, and Chloe Farro touched the wall in 1:44.57 to top SIU's top group by .01 seconds. ISU's second team took fourth in 1:47.00 with Kate Reeves, Kaimi Matsumoto, Raine Boles, and Alexa Szadorski combining to take on the field, while the final group of Kalli Agapios, Allie Barasch, Raz Harel, and Peyton Heagy finished fifth in 1:53.34.
 
Claire Parsons made it two events in a row for the Sycamores as the freshman picked up another win in the 1000-yard Freestyle event. The Terre Haute native touched the wall in 10:28.25 to take the win, while Rose Parsons (10:32.53, 3rd) and Esther Rydbeck Norden (10:40.28, 5th) added top-five finishes.
 
Claire Parsons followed up by nearly topping the field in the 1000-yard Freestyle before settling for second in 1:54.10. Heagy (1:54.34) and Erin Cummins (1:54.55) finished fourth and fifth overall respectively, while Jordan Gruce took seventh in 1:57.55.
 
Olivia DiRuzza and Agapios finished third and fourth overall to lead ISU in the 100-yard Backstroke. DiRuzza touched the wall in 58.26 to place third, while Agapios posted a 59.33 to place fourth. Reeves (59.46, 6th) and Trista Bullock (1:01.04, 7th) aso took on the field in the event with top-eight finishes.
 
Kelley and Pearson both continued strong freshmen campaigns in the 100-yard Breaststroke with Kelley placing second in 1:04.55, while Pearson took third in 1:05.16. Matsumoto added a top-five result in 1:05.52.
 
The Sycamores took third, fourth, fifth, and sixth in the 200-yard Fly event placed by Cotter's team-best 2:05.62. Haley Halsall finished fourth in 2:06.37, while Boles (2:07.75) and Harel (2:09.16) competed in the field on the afternoon.
 
Farro picked up her first individual win of the day in the 50-yard Freestyle as the junior took the win by .17 seconds with a time of 23.85. Barasch was third at 24.33, while Szadorski took fourth in 24.49 to pace the Sycamores. Ash Saple added a seventh-place result in 24.84.
 
Bailey Betzer topped the field in the 3M diving event as the senior put together a season-best 275.25 on the boards to win by over 10 points. Zoe Smith was fourth overall in 226.95, while Sierra Bowman placed fifth in 2:09.18. Daniela Orta Castaneda took sixth with 202.20, while Brenna Woodruff put together a 171.15 to round out the group.
 
Coming out of the event break, Farro was atop the podium again winning the 100-yard Freestyle event with a time of 51.45 to top the field by .61. Szadorski took fourth in 53.25 with Heagy added a top-five finish in 53.47. Barasch rounded out the group in eighth in 54.62.
 
DiRuzza was tops among the Sycamores in the 200-yard Backstroke with the junior touching the wall in 2:05.35 to place second. Agapios finished fourth in 2:06.42 with Reeves finishing fifth in 2:06.97. Bullock placed seventh in 2:14.12 with Ella Moustgaard swimming an exhibition and timing out at 2:08.38.
 
Cotter was ISU's top finisher in the 200-yard Breaststroke finishing in 2:21.56 to place second in the field. Pearson was fourth in 2:22.32, while Dorotea Bukvic finished sixth in 2:24.09.
 
Claire Parsons was ISU's top finisher in the 500-yard Freestyle with the freshman placing second overall with a time of 5:02.98. Cummins was fourth in 5:08.47, while Halsall (5:11.01, 6th) and Rydbeck Norden (5:15.01, 7th) also sitting in the top eight.
 
Kelley put the Sycamores back atop the podium with the freshman picking up her first win of the day in the 100-yard Fly. Her time of 55.38 won the event by 1.32 seconds, while Matsumoto (57.03) and Boles (57.74) finished fourth and fifth respectively. Harel rounded out the group in seventh in 58.41.
 
Cotter continued to put the Sycamores on top in the 200-yard IM as the junior led the way with a time of 2:05.44 to win the event. Pearson was sixth overall in 2:09.76, while Bukvic placed seventh in 2:09.79.
 
ISU wrapped up the events in the pool taking the 400-yard Freestyle Relay win with Farro, Matsumoto, Heagy, and Szadorski topping the field with a time of 3:27.19. Cummins, Barasch, Kelley, and Agapios finished third in 3:32.12, while Gruce, Bullock, Boles, and Kamila Nowak finished fifth in 3:42.79.
 
Smith was the top Sycamore diver in the 1M diving event as the senior took second with a six-dive score of 272.48. Betzer was third in 272.40, while Bowman placed sixth in 191.78. Orta Castaneda scored seventh overall in 186.75 with Woodruff rounding out the group in eighth in 170.63.
 
Sycamore Top Finishers
200-yard Medley Relay:  Alexandria Cotter, Ali Pearson, Kaleigh Kelley, Chloe Farro (1:44.57, 1st)
1000-yard Freestyle: Claire Parsons (10:28.25, 1st)
200-yard Freestyle: Claire Parsons (1:54.10, 2nd)
100-yard Backstroke: Olivia DiRuzza (58.26, 3rd)
100-yard Breaststroke: Kaleigh Kelley (1:05.16, 2nd)
200-yard Butterfly: Alexandria Cotter (2:05.62, 3rd)
50-yard Freestyle: Chloe Farro (23.85, 1st)
3M Diving: Bailey Betzer (275.25, 1st)
100-yard Freestyle: Chloe Farro (51.45, 1st)
200-yard Backstroke: Olivia DiRuzza (2:05.35, 2nd)
200-yard Breaststroke: Dorotea Bukvic (2:21.56, 2nd)
500-yard Freestyle: Claire Parsons (5:02.98, 2nd)
100-yard Butterfly: Kaleigh Kelley (55.38, 1st)
1M Diving: Zoe Smith (272.48, 2nd)
200-yard IM: Alexandria Cotter (2:05.44, 1st)
400-yard Freestyle Relay: Chloe Farro, Kaimi Matsumoto, Peyton Heagy, Alexa Szadorski (3:27.18, 1st)
 
Up Next
The Sycamores continue the spring season over January 26-27 as the Sycamores travel to South Bend, Ind. to compete in the Tim Welsh Invite hosted by Notre Dame.
 
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.