Final Results
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Despite a pool-record time of :55.98 from senior Megan Vuong in the 100 butterfly, as well as five other event victories, the Fighting Illini swimming and diving team came up short to Indiana State, 148-135, Thursday night at the Vigo Schools Aquatic Center. Illinois has a quick turnaround, as the team will head back home to host Michigan State on Friday at the ARC Pool. Meet competition begins at 4 p.m.
"We had some good races throughout the meet," head coach Sue Novitsky said. "Megan Vuong had a great day coming back from injury. She stepped up and raced with conviction. Indiana State competed well all the way through the meet and touched us out in numerous spots. Coming back tomorrow, we need to clean up our details and be tough all the way to the wall. We had our opportunities not just to win events, but to move up in the order of finish and we need everyone to execute for us to keep getting better as a team."
The Orange and Blue got a strong performance from senior Monica Guyett, as the St. Charles, Ill. native touched the wall first in the 200 freestyle (1:54.45) and 500 freestyle (5:05.81). In addition to the pool record, Vuong finished with the top time in the 50 butterfly, posting a time of :25.59.
The youthful Illini impressed in their first collegiate experience, as freshman Kaylee Heimes came away with her first-career race victory in the 50 backstroke, finishing with a time of :27.05. Heimes also earned a third-place finish in the 100 backstroke with a time of :57.40. Freshman Sarah Cano also made a big contribution to the Illini, earning 10 points for the Orange and Blue. Cano finished second in the 100 backstroke (:57.37) and third in both the 50 backstroke (:27.76) and 200 individual medley (2:10.83).
On the Boards
After one of the best seasons in Illini diving history a year ago, senior Ling Kuhn got off to a strong start to the 2018-19 campaign, posting the top score in 3-meter diving (286.65). The total qualifies Kuhn for the NCAA Zone Diving Championships. The senior also finished second in 1-meter competition with a score of 252.30.
Freshmen divers Elizabeth Rumsey and Taylor Shegos competed for the Illini for the first time on Thursday. Rumsey posted a 3-meter score of 236.85 and a 1-meter total of 218.03, while Shegos finished with scores of 234.82 and 251.93, respectively.
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