MORGANTOWN, W.Va. –
Audrey Pastorek moved up the Villanova Swimming & Diving record books with a 200 IM win that highlighted the team's first day at the WVU Invitational from the Aquatic Center at Mylan Park.
Through the first 12 events of the meet, the women sit at fifth in the field of 15 with 315 points. They sit just two and a half points behind Drexel and are 19 points out of the top three.
Pastorek had the highest preliminary showing among all Villanova swimmers on Thursday, finishing first in the 200 IM with a 2:02.46 to lead the way for the field heading into the evening finals. The only Wildcat in the Championship Final in the nightcap, she held onto that first-place spot through the finals, shaving off two seconds for a personal-best time of 2:00.26. That finish also moved her into sixth on the program's all-time performer's list.
The 200 Free Relay A team of
Cara Stapleton,
Lainey Quinones,
Lexi Elkovitch and
Perri Stahl turned in a fifth-place showing to open the evening's finals, touching in 1:32.88. The B squad of
Winnie Jalet,
Audrey Pastorek,
Katie White and
Mary Kate Farrell teamed up for a 13
th-place 1:36.94 finish.
The 500 Free saw personal bests roll in for both
Molly Benson and White, finishing in ninth (4:55.93) and 14
th (5:01.59) respectively.
Kaitlin Gravell rounded out the consolation final 'Cats in that one, posting a 5:02.21 time that was good enough for 15
th.
Stapleton posted a personal best in the 50 Free during the finals, sitting atop the consolation final with a 23.41 time for ninth overall. Stahl trailed her closely in 10
th at 23.42 while Quinones was 14
th in 23.78.
Villanova's 400 Medley Relay A group of Pastorek, Jalet, White and Stapleton finished in 3:42.62, giving them fifth place. The B squad of Wasmuth, Stahl, Quinones and Elkovitch turned in a 10
th place time of 3:50.11.
Day two starts Friday at 10 a.m. with preliminaries in the 100 Fly, 400 IM, 200 Free, 100 Breast, 100 Back and 1-meter Women's Diving. Finals at 6 p.m. will also include the 200 Medley Relay and 800 Free Relay.
