Iowa State swims strong, remains in 2nd at Kansas Classic
Iowa State junior Elizabeth Richardson competes in the Cyclones’ meet against Northern Iowa on Jan. 30. (Photo courtesy of Iowa State Athletics Communications)
November 20, 2021
The Iowa State swim team competed fiercely at the second day of the Kansas Classic Saturday, but remains behind the Jayhawks in the team standings.
Iowa State was well represented in the later session of Saturday’s competition with 14 spots in the ‘A’ finals being filled by Cyclone individuals or relay teams. Iowa State’s efforts were not enough to overtake Kansas, who remains comfortably in first with 823 points. Iowa State’s total point total now sits at 533 after the second day.
Iowa State, who had the second fasted seed time, won the 800-yard freestyle relay. Lucia Rizzo, Brinley Horras, Sydney Jackson and Ashley Bengtson beat three teams from Kansas with their time of 7:24.91. The event would be the only first place finish of the day for Iowa State.
Saturday’s finals began with Emily Haan, Martha Haas, Carley Caughron and Maddie Ziegert earning third for Iowa State in the 200-yard medley relay. Kansas teams took first and second and Iowa State ‘B’ also placed fifth in the 200 medley.
Next, senior Lucia Rizzo dropped two seconds off her preliminary time in the 400-yard IM. Rizzo came into the finals with the fastest prelim time but scored second for Iowa State just behind Ellie Wehrmann from Kansas.
Swimming in back-to-back events, Rizzo went on to take eighth in the 100-yard butterfly right behind her teammate Winter Craig in seventh.
The 200-yard freestyle event was fiercely competitive with the six swimmers being within two seconds of each other. Iowa State’s Ashley Bengtson took third and Brinley Horras took sixth. Bengtson was .77 seconds aways from first behind two Kansas swimmers.
Iowa State had four athletes the ‘A’ finals for the 100-yard breaststroke event. Martha Haas and Lehr Thorson came into the finals with the two fastest times in the preliminaries. Haas would take second place in the finals with her teammates Thorson close behind in fifth. Alaina Breitbach and Paige Hanley also notched top-ten finishes in the 100 breast.
On Sunday, Iowa State will have its last opportunity against the Kansas Classic field. The last day will feature the 200-yard backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly events, as well as the 100- and 1650-yard freestyle events.
