University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
CCSA Championships
Bulldogs Continue Impressive Performance at CCSA Championships
02.20.2015 | Women's Swimming & Diving
ATHENS, Ga. – Alessandra Troncoso led the Bulldogs on day three of the CCSA Championships, winning the B final of the 100-yard breaststroke and swimming what historically has been a US Open qualifying time in the event on Friday at Gabrielsen Coliseum on the campus of the University of Georgia.
Troncoso posted the highlight of the morning and night sessions. She won the B final Friday evening with a time of 1:03.85 in the 100 breast. Earlier in the day, Troncoso's prelim time of 1:03.63 eclipsed what historically is a qualifying time for the US Open.
“It was super awesome and I started crying,” said Troncoso on her qualifying time. “I was so excited and it was awesome to share the moment with my teammates.”
Emily Werth added a second place finish in the B final of the 100-yard backstroke with a 57.12, improving on her previous best which was set in the morning prelims. Werth's time also broke the schools team and freshman records. As Werth did, Elizabeth Murray clipped the personal best that she posted in the morning prelims, swimming a 59.62 in the C final.
Alejandra Sanchez set her new lifetime best in the C final of the 200-yard freestyle, swimming a 1:53.48, while van Dorsten swam a 1:53.89 in the B final.
The night ended with Troncoso and the 400-yard medley relay team breaking the school record with a time of 3:53.05, improving on the previous mark by over four seconds. Sanchez, Werth and van Dorsten rounded out the group.
“I am very proud of our team today,” said head Coach Elizabeth Lykins. “The third day of any meet is challenging and they did a great job rebounding from this morning. We are excited about the last two sessions and looking forward to breaking more records and scoring more points.
During morning prelims, Asheville swimmers continued the trend of the championship with seven swimmer posting lifetime best times and five topping their season best marks. In total, eight swimmers qualified for the evening finals.
In the 200-yard freestyle van Dorsten swam a lifetime-best 1:53.58 to qualify for the B final, while Sanchez swam a career-best 1:54.76 to earn a spot in the C final in the event.
Stephanie Smith swam a 4:36.18 to qualify for the C final in the 400-yard individual medley.
Troncoso earned her spot in the B final with a season-best 1:03.63 in the 100-yard breaststroke, a time the will likely qualify her for the US winter nationals, and Shannon Kennedy earned a spot in the evening session by registering a 1:08.15.
Smith also picked up a spot in the C final of the 100-yard backstroke with a mark of 59.14. Murray also qualified for the C final with a lifetime-best 59.14, while Werth tallied a career-best 57.14 to qualify for the B final.
Rachel Van Noordt posted a lifetime-best 1:59.44 in the 200-yard freestyle, while Morgan Dickie (2:01.60), Brittany Parker (2:02.74) and Brittany Thomas (1:59.29) each bested their previous season best times.
In the 100-yard butterfly, Ashley Ireland and Alexandra van Dorsten set all-time personal bests by posting times of 59.35 and 58.56, respectively. Emily Sawyer added a season-best in the 100 breast with a time of 1:11.70.
The Bulldogs sit in seventh place with a total of 288 points heading into the final day of competition which will start at 10:00 a.m. at Gabrielsen Natatorium with the 200-yard backstroke prelims.
