NORMAL, Ill. – Indiana State set four new pool records and the Sycamores claimed 13 wins in the 16 competed events on Friday afternoon in topping host Illinois State at the Horton Field House, 213.5-86.5.
 
The Sycamores started off strong posting new pool records in the first two events of the day setting new marks in both the 200-yard Medley Relay and 1000-yard Freestyle on their way to winning three of the first four events in the water. Indiana State added pool records in both the 100-yard Freestyle and the 400-yard Freestyle Relay to wrap up the day in the season-opening win.
 
Claire Parsons (1000- and 500-yard Free), Sophia Diaz (200- and 100-yard Fly), and Chloe Farro (50- and 100-yard Free) all won multiple events for Indiana State on the afternoon to highlight the meet. Erin Cummins (200 Free), Ali Pearson (100 Breast), Olivia Diruzza (200 Back), Kaleigh Kelley (200 Breast), and Alexandria Cotter (200 IM) also added individual wins. The Sycamores also swept both relay events in the 200-yard Medley Relay and the 400-yard Freestyle Relay.
 
"This afternoon was a solid first step into official competition for the year," head coach Josh Christensen said. "I'm proud of the energy we brought for each other throughout a long day and the way we made the most of each racing opportunity. This is a long season and we're very early on. We'll get back to work tomorrow."
 
The Sycamores opened competition with the A group of Cotter, Pearson, Kelley, and Farro setting the tone of the meet early with a pool record time of 1:44.61 to win to the 200-yard Medley Relay. The B group of Ella Moustgaard, Szadorski, Raine Boles, and Kalli Agapios finished third in the field in 1:45.81.
 
Claire Parsons claimed the first of her two individual wins in the 1000-yard Freestyle setting another pool record with a time of 10:21.27 to lead the field as Indiana State took the top three spots in the event. Maria Saldana Riebeling finished second in 10:33.93, while Rose Parsons wrapped up the top three in 10:46.07.
 
Cummins continued the Sycamores' win streak with a time of 1:54.46 to claim the win in the 200-yard Freestyle. She topped teammate Sahara Visscher (1:55.02) to claim the individual win, while Peyton Heagy (1:57.36) finished fourth overall in the field.
 
Moustgaard finished .14 behind Illinois State's Chloe Tyler (57.88) to take second overall in the 100-yard Backstroke event with a time of 58.02. Kate Reeves (59.79) and Diruzza (59.82) both finished in the top-five in the field.
 
Pearson put the Sycamores back on top of the podium finishing first in the 100-yard Breaststroke with a time of 1:04.73. Szadorski (1:05.14) and Cotter (1:07.05) made it a Sycamore sweep in the event finishing second and third overall.
 
The Sycamore freshmen shined in the 200-yard Fly as Diaz (2:05.66) and Gemma Dilks (2:06.70) finished one-two in the event. Haley Halsall wrapped up the top-three with a 2:07.07, while Raz Harel rounded out the Sycamores with a time of 2:10.68.
 
Farro picked up her first individual win of the day topping the field in the 50-yard Freestyle. Her time of 23.63 was .02 off the pool record on the day on her way to claiming the win. Kelley finished second overall in 23.99, while Raine Boles (24.57) was fourth overall. Allie Barasch (24.85) and Ash Saple (25.02) also posted top finishes for the Sycamores.
 
Daniela Orta Castaneda was Indiana State's top finisher in the women's 1-Meter Diving Event finishing third with a combined score of 197.25. Lucia McDougall was fifth with 193.13, while Ella Taylor (173.85), Brenna Woodruff (166.10), and Angelina Damiano (143.18) all finished inside the top-10.
 
Back in the pool after the break, Farro paced the field in the 100-yard Freestyle as the senior finished in 50.88 to set the facility mark for her second win of the day. Szadorski was second in 52.18, while Visscher finished fourth in 53.77. Heagy (54.28) and Saple (56.58) also posted top finishes for Indiana State.
 
Diruzza (2:05.83) claimed the win in the 200-yard Backstroke with Moustgaard (2:06.03) and Agapios (2:10.89) finishing third and fifth respectively in the field. Reeves finished in 2:09.99 in the event.
 
Kelley (2:21.58), Cotter (2:23.18), and Pearson (2:28.91) swept the top three positions in the 200-yard Breaststroke event. Dilks added a time of 2:27.31 overall.
 
Claire Parsons (5:04.73), Saldana Riebeling (5:07.25), and Cummins (5:10.94) continued Indiana State's sweeping ways in claiming the top three positions in the 500-yard Freestyle. Halsall (5:12.55) and Rose Parsons (5:20.21) also added top times in the field.
 
Diaz picked up her second win of the day in the 100-yard Fly as the freshman out-touched the field in 57.57 to claim the win. Boles (58.06) tied with Illinois State's Giulia Basco for second overall, while Barasch was fifth in 59.27. Harel narrowly missed out on the top five in 59.48.
 
Orta Castaneda put together a second-place finish in the 3-Meter Diving with a score of 221.93 for Indiana State, while McDougall was third overall with 214.43. Woodruff set a new personal-best with 180.68, while Taylor (175.50) and Damiano (153.90) rounded out the group on the board.
 
Cotter (2:06.74), Dilks (2:10.65), and Moustgaard (2:13.56) provided Indiana State's final sweep of the top-three on the day in the 200-yard IM.
 
The Sycamores wrapped up the afternoon taking the top two relay spots in the 400-yard Freestyle as Szadorski, Cummins, Kelley, and Farro touched the wall in 3:27.80. Barasch, Visscher, Heagy, and Agapios were second in 3:34.64, while Claire Parsons, Halsall, Diaz, and Harel finished fourth in 3:40.24.
 
Top Indiana State Finishers in Each Event
200-Yard Medley Relay: 1st – Alexandria Cotter, Ali Pearson, Kaleigh Kelley, Chloe Farro (1:44.61 - Pool Record)
1000-Yard Free: 1st – Claire Parsons (10:21.27 - Pool Record)
200-Yard Free: 1st – Erin Cummins (1:54.46)
100-Yard Back: 2nd – Ella Moustgaard (58.02)
100-Yard Breast: 1st – Ali Pearson (1:04.73)
200-Yard Fly: 1st – Sophia Diaz (2:05.66)
50-Yard Free: 1st – Chloe Farro (23.63)
3M Diving: 2nd – Daniela Orta Castaneda (221.93)
100-Yard Free: 1st – Chloe Farro (50.88 – Pool Record)
200-Yard Back: 1st – Olivia Diruzza (2:05.83)
200-Yard Breast: 1st – Kaleigh Kelley (2:21.58)
500-Yard Free: 1st – Claire Parsons (5:04.73)
100-Yard Fly: 1st – Sophia Diaz (57.57)
1M Diving: 3rd – Daniela Orta Castaneda (197.25)
200-Yard IM: 1st – Alexandria Cotter (2:06.74)
400-Yard Free Relay: 1st – Alexa Szadorski, Erin Cummins, Kaleigh Kelley, Chloe Farro (3:27.80 – Pool Record)
 
Up Next
Indiana State continues the 2024-25 regular season on Friday, October 18, as the Sycamores host Eastern Illinois in a dual meet. Events are set to begin at 6 p.m. ET at the Vigo County Aquatic Center.
 
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