FRESNO, Calif.- Fresno State swim and dive team closed out the Fresno State Invite on a high note taking third place with 712.5 points at the Fresno State Aquatics Center on Saturday morning.
Aliz Kalmar broke the Aquatics Center record in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:14.06, Kalmar put up a strong last 50 yards to out-touch WSU's Carlson by twelve hundredths of a second. Kalmar broke a record that was previously held by former Bulldog, Manuela Mendolicchio from 2019-20 (2:14.07).
HOW IT HAPPENED
The final session of the invite was off to a hot start with the 400 medley relay, Fresno State's A relay took fifth (3:48.13) collecting 28 points for the 'Dogs. Freshman Sienna Cheng-Lucey was the lead-off swimmer clocking in a 57.64 backstroke split. Samantha Arredondo swam another top-five finish in the 100 IM, good for fourth, 58.95.
A freshman duo led the way in the 200 backstroke, Ryley Clark earned her first top-three collegiate finish good for third with a time of 2:03.34. Cheng-Lucey not far behind, collected a fifth place finish (2:04.21).
With an entry time of 2:13.45, Kalmar was on the outside looking in for the 200 breaststroke. Right off the starters mark, Kalmar and WSU's Carlson matched stroke-for-stroke through the first 100 yards. Kalmar locked in a 1:05.75 hundred split right on pace for the record. Trailing half a body length behind going into the last turn, Kalmar turned up the speed to out-touch Carlson for the event win and new record.
Laura Kalmar was a force in the 1650 taking second place (17:19.84). Ava Elliot and Riley Baldwin completed the top-ten for the Bulldogs in the 1650 as well.
"I'm really pleased. We rocked our first session, our 200 medley relay was amazing, it was a really good way to start our meet," says head coach Jeanne Fleck. "We need to be able to turn around and come back on Saturday morning, but we got better as it went, we have a really good starting place."
Notes
Aliz Kalmar breaks the 200 breaststroke Aquatic Center record with a time of 2:14.06 in the first meet of the season, also earning a new career best in the event
Fresno State improves from last years placing at the Invite and finishes third, topping new conference affiliate Washington State University
Top swimmers for the 'Dogs today are Aliz Kalmar, Sienna Cheng-Lucey and Ryley Clark
'Dogs cap the invite off with two event wins, 200 Medley Relay and 200 Breaststroke
Fresno State saw seven top three finishes throughout the weekend
Up Next: Fresno State will travel to Long Beach for the MPSF Open Water Championships on Oct. 19. Fresno State will host an Alumni Meet on Oct. 12 at 12 p.m. at the Fresno State Aquatics Center. RSVP HERE.
Team Standing
1. UCLA - 1097.5
2. San Diego State - 920
3. Fresno State - 712.5
4. Washington State - 696
5. San Jose State - 340
6. Hawaii - 126 (diving only)