GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Emory & Henry College Women's Swimming Team finished fourth at the 2013 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Championships. The Wasps were just four points out of third place in their first year as a varsity program. Washington and Lee University took home the team title while Randolph-Macon College finished second.
Lauren Frizzell (Blacksburg, Va.) led off the evening session with a school-record swim in the 1650-freestyle (18:00.52) to win the conference title. Nicole Powell's (Apex, N.C.) time of 18:51. 59 from the morning session was good enough for seventh in the timed final format.
Sam Brown (Memphis, Tenn.) finished 10th in the 200-yard backstroke, with a new E&H best time of 2:20.12.
Payton Shirey (Seaford, Del.) earned her second ODAC Championship in three days as she took home top honors in the 100-yard freestyle. Her swim of :53.04 broke the record that she set in the prelims Sunday morning. Tyler Ann Herron (Calhoun, Ga.) finished first in the consolation finals and ninth overall as she clocked a :55.60.
Sophia Alonge (Vienna, Va.) turned in a time of 2:48.07 in the 200-yard breaststroke, finishing 14th for the Wasps.
Taylor Guardalabene (Charlotte, N.C.) shattered the record that she set in the prelims of the 200-yard butterfly, placing third (2:13.73). Powell was fifth on the podium as well for E&H with a time of 2:16.42).
Emory & Henry found itself within two points of Bridgewater going into the final event of the meet, the 400-yard freestyle relay. The Wasps came up just short of besting the Eagles, which would have tied the two squads for third place in the Championship. E&H crushed the old school record in the process, as Shirey, Herron, Frizzell and Brown went 3:43.34 to for a third place finish in the event.
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SUNDAY PRELIMS
Sam Brown (Memphis, Tenn.) started off the morning with a school-record swim of 2:21.79 to qualify 12th for tonight's consolation finals.
Payton Shirey (Seaford, Del.) has the third-best time in qualifying in the 50-yard freestyle (:54.13), also a new Emory & Henry record. Tyler Ann Herron (Calhoun, Ga.) will be in the middle of the pool in the consolation finals after a ninth-place (:56.34) qualifying swim.
In the 200-yard breaststroke, Sophia Alonge (Vienna, Va.) put up the 14thh-quickest swim with a 2:49.06 to make the evening session.
The 200-yard butterfly will feature a pair of Wasps. Taylor Guardalabene (Charlotte, N.C.) is fourth after a record (2:16.02) swim in the prelims while Nicole Powell (Apex, N.C.) turned in a time of 2:21.07 to take the final spot in the finals.
Emory & Henry's 400-yard freestyle relay recorded a 3:56.10 to put itself in the third qualifying spot for this evening.
Powell was seeded 10th in the 1650-freestyle, which is being swam as a timed final. She turned in a time of 18:51.59 to win her heat, lapping the field in the process. Her time will be put up against the top eight seeds, which will hit the water in the first event of the evening. Lauren Frizzell (Blacksburg, Va.) holds the pole position for that race.
Check back this evening for coverage of the final session and a full recap of the weekend's events.
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