Bearcats Win Four Events and Hold Lead After Day One of Bruin Invitational

Newberg, Ore. - Women's Swimming is in first place after the first day of the Bruin Invitational after the team won both relays and swept the top three places in the 100-yard Freestyle

The meet got off to a strong start for Willamette with the 200-yard Freestyle team of Mia Sperbeck, Lydia Schmitt, Leah Howell, and Alayna Kisiday taking first place with a time of 1:40.66.  

In the next event, the Bearcats took the top two places as Tessa Ciatti and Schmitt went 1-2 in the 100-yard Butterfly.

The Bearcats continued their strong performances as Anna Hornbeck and Sarah Jenner went 2-3 in the 200-yard Breastroke and Tatum Good swam to second place in the 200-yard Backstroke with teammate Jillian Price finishing fourth.

Willamette extended its points lead in the competition in the 100-yard Freestyle by taking the top three spots and placing four swimmers in the top six.  Kisiday won the event in the time of 54.41, followed by Howell and Sperback, with Schmitt in sixth.  

Ciatti (3rd) and Good (5th) made the A-Final in the 200-yard Individual Medley, with Jacqueline Hall taking sixth place in the event.  In the final individual event, the 500-yard Free, Jenner and Price finished 5th and 6th, with Emma Noffisinger taking eighth to round out the A-Final.

The Bearcats closed out their strong first day by taking 1st and 3rd in the 400-yard Medley Relay.  Howell, Hornbeck, Ciatti, and Kisiday teamed up to take first place in a time of 4:05.31, while Good, Jenner, Schmitt, and Sperbeck took third at 4:12.36

Willamette totaled 470 points on day one, followed by the host team George Fox with 370.5, Pacific Lutheran at 290, and Pacific with 163.5.

The second day of the Bruin Invitational is Sunday, November 24th. Prelims are scheduled for 10:00 a.m., and finals will start at 4:00 p.m.