Results
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The 19th-ranked Calvin University women's swimming and diving team competed in its first home meet of the season in a triangular against Grand Valley State University (GVSU) and Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU) on Saturday at Venema Aquatic Center.
Calvin lost the event to both nationally ranked NCAA II programs, falling to sixth-ranked GVSU 229-70 and to 18th-ranked SVSU 193-106.
The meet started with the 200 medley relay, where the Calvin 'A' team of
Emma Merkel (Grandville, Mich./Grandville),
Gracie Ganger (Tipp City, Ohio/Tippecanoe),
Grace Schutter (Shelby Twp., Mich./Dwight D. Eisenhower) and
Ella Andrews (Carmel, Ind./Heritage Christian) took third in a time of 1:47.67.
In individual events, Merkel won the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:53.08 and backed that up with a fourth-place finish in the 200 backstroke.
Andrews added two top-three finishes to go with anchoring two relays, finishing second in the 50 freestyle (23.84) and third in the 100 freestyle (53.51), with
Maria Heeres (Holland, Mich./Holland Christian) taking eighth in the 100 freestyle (54.89).
Zoe Poe (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette Twp.) finished third in the 1000 freestyle (10:42.21) and seventh in the 500 freestyle (5:16.24).
Avery Russell (Battle Creek, Mich./Battle Creek Lakeview) finished fourth in the 1000 freestyls (10:56.3) and eighth in the 500 freestyle (5:21.4).
Ganger recorded three top-10s individually, taking seventh in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.49), eighth in the 200 breaststroke (2:32.27) and 10th in the 200 individual medley (2:18.75).
Josie Fries (Fenton, Mich./Fenton) and
Mallory Johnson (Cary, N.C./Cary Christian) finished seventh (1:04.69) and eighth (1:04.95), respectively, in the 100 backstroke.
Natalie Gates (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) took seventh in the 200 butterfly (2:19.58).
Veronica Skipper (Chicago, Ill./Northside College Prep) was the top performer for the Knights off the diving boards, taking fifth in the three-meter competition with 230.1 points and sixth off the one-meter board with 234.0 points.
The final event in the pool was the 400 freestyle relay, where the 'A' Calvin relay of Merkel, Heeres,
Grace Van De Burg (Hudsonville, Mich./Hudsonville) and Andrews took fourth place with a time of 3:32.79.
NEXT UP: Calvin swimming and diving will return to action on Saturday, October 24, when it competes in the MIAA Invite hosted by Hope College at Holland Aquatic Center at 11:00 AM.
