UT Swim Team Wins Zippy Invite; Noens Sets Meet and School Recor - WICU12/WSEE Erie, PA News, Sports, Weather and Events

UT Swim Team Wins Zippy Invite; Noens Sets Meet and School Record

AKRON - The University of Toledo women's swimming and diving team captured first place at the Akron Zippy Invitational on Sunday afternoon at Ocasek Natatorium. The Rockets dominated all weekend and cinched the other nine teams with three first-place finishes during the final day of racing. UT also had a meet-best 21 top-five finishes over the weekend, while earning a grand total of 1,697 points.

"Our ladies did a great job competing this weekend," UT Head Coach Chris Peters said. "I was really proud of their effort the last three days. It was a very solid way to wrap up the 2012 competition schedule."

Junior Christina Noens and sophomore Maria Bargardi each had NCAA "B+" cuts in the 200-yard backstroke. The pair of Rockets finished first and second with times of 1:57.71 and 1:58.81, respectively. Noens also set a meet record and beat Bargardi's team record of 1:58.03 from last year.

After racing to her first-collegiate win yesterday, Meredith Gibbon finished with a sweep of the breaststroke events with a first-place time of 2:18.56 in the 200. The junior had already won the 100-yard event with a mark of 1:04.10.

The third top-overall finish of the day came from junior Beth Rogers in one of her strongest events. Rogers took the 200-yard butterfly at 2:02.28, beating out the second-place swimmer by more than two seconds (2:04.48).

Senior Carly Harter finished third in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 51.34, and sophomore Melissa Auckley was third in the 200-breaststroke at 2:21.75.

Mid-American Conference rival Ohio was the runner-up with 1,211 points.

The Rockets (1-1) will take the pool next on Jan. 11 at Michigan State.