AUBURN, AL – The FGCU swimming and diving team (2-5) fell to #16 Auburn (1-0), 163-73, Saturday afternoon at the James E. Martin Aquatic Center.
"Very proud of how we performed today," said head coach
Dave Rollins. "The team was challenged on how they would respond to adversity and they responded well. We had numerous season-best times and dives. Both relays were season bests (regardless of the 400 DQ) and to be able to keep improving as the training has been more challenging is fantastic. Also, for Petra to get a win in the 100 breast was great. Anytime we can get a legitimate win against a challenging opponent, we will celebrate it."
The 200 medley relay team of
Doris Eichhorn (Berlin, Germany/HTW Berlin),
Emily Glinecke (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove High School/ASU),
Madison Jean (Parrish, Fla./Lakewood Ranch HS) and Rebecca Moynihan (Palmerston North, New Zealand/Waiopehu College) produced a season-best time of 1:44.94 to start of the morning as
Antonia Baerens (Ottobrunn, Germany/Max-Josef-Stift Gymnasium/Nevada) placed third in the second event, the 1000 free.
In the 50, a pair of Eagles finished right behind each other as Moynihan (23.52) and
Gracie Redding (Orlando, Fla./The First Academy/FSU) (23.68) scored for FGCU. On the boards,
Megan Wakefield (Guelph, Ontario, Canada/Centennial CVI) produced a season-best score of 270 on the 3-meter spring which placed her second.
"Megan was huge for us today," stated Rollins. "Qualifying for Zones as she just missed her school record."
Natalie Keffer (San Gabriel, Calif./Gabrielino HS) also registered a top-3 finish on the 1-meter with a score 216.53 for third overall. Highlights on the day for FGCU also include Eichhorn touching the pads in 57.25 seconds in the 100 back for second place as
Kellie Fischer (Edmond, Okla./Edmond Memorial High School) (59.70) and
Lindsay Manganiello (Miami, Fla./Coral Reef Senior HS) (1:02.96) finished third and fourth, respectively to snag the remaining points.
Meanwhile, in the 500 free,
Linda Shaw (Leeds, United Kingdom/Roundhay HS) finished second (5:13:79) as
Elizabeth Zeiger (Cumberland, R.I./Homeschool) (5:17.63) rounded out the top-3.
Petra Halmai (Dombovar, Hungary/Lanczos Kornel Secondari Grammar School) snagged FGCU's lone first-place win competing in the 100 breast. The sophomore produced a swim of 1:05.59 to score the Eagles nine points. Newcomer Glinecke placed third with a mark of 1:06.65
"We have completed our most challenging phase of the season," added Rollins. "Now it's time to get back to work and sharpen our skills. There are a lot of great performances yet to come and we will be a much stronger team having challenged ourselves this first part of the year."
UP NEXT
FGCU returns to action once again on the road when the Eagles travel to Boca Raton, Fla., to face FAU and Princeton on Friday, Nov. 2 at 4 p.m.
FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-date coverage of FGCU women's swimming and diving, follow us on Twitter @FGCU_WSWIM and visit www.FGCUAthletics.com where full recaps and results will be available.
HEAD COACH DAVE ROLLINS
Entering into his third season, head coach, Dave Rollins is only the second head coach in program history, taking over on Sept. 1, 2016. In his second season, Rollins guided FGCU to back-to-back CCSA titles, as well as the program's fourth-straight and ninth championship in 10 years. In addition, he has been awarded CCSA Coach of the Year in each of his two seasons at the helm. Previously, Rollins was the associate head men's swimming coach at The Ohio State University. Rollins brings over a decade of coaching experience to The Nest, which includes Olympians, NCAA Champions and All-Americans along with multiple conference champions. A standout collegiate athlete in his own right, Rollins was inducted into the University of Arizona's Hall of Fame in 2017 as a nine-time NCAA All-American, national champion, school record holder and team captain.
SUPPORT THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help.
