UNIVERSITY CENTER -- The Saginaw Valley State University Swimming & Diving programs hosted Alma College on Friday afternoon in the season-opening meet. The Cardinals cruised to a pair of victories, with the women winning 191-32 and the men claiming a 170-29 decision. Saginaw Valley claimed victory in every single event against Alma on Friday. 

Women

• The 400 yard medley relay team claimed 1st place with a time of 3:58.78. That team consisted of Amanda Thielen, Lydia Mattar, Alexa Bloom and Taylor Grashuis. 
• Sidney Shipps claimed the top spot in the 1,000 yard freestyle with a time of 10:44.76.
• In the 200 free, Alexandra Davis claimed 1st place with her finish of 1:57.30.
• Alexa Bloom was the top finisher in the 50 free. She touched the board with a mark of 24:52.
• The 200 IM saw Lydia Mattar finish in 1st place with her time of 2:16.84. She added a 1st place in the 200 breast as well with a time of 2:27.77.
• Elizabeth Caird had a score of 228.95 in the one meter diving event and a 216.25 in the three meter event.
• Bloom added a 1st place finish in the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:12.54.
• Grashuis posted the best time in the 100 freestyle with her mark of 54:85.
• In the 200 backstroke, Eric McDowell finished in 1st with her time of 2:09.67.
• Davis had another 1st place showing, finishing with a time of 5:15.45 in the 500 free.
• In the 400 freestyle relay, Thielen, Davis, Shipps and Hailey Stewart took 1st with a mark of 3:44.58.  

Men

• SVSU claimed 1st in the 400 yard medley relay, as Tyler Overmyer, Sanders Modglin, Michael Spears and Cameron Whitfield regitered a mark of 3:37.52.
• Pedro Rezende was 1st in the 1,000 yard freestyle with a mark of 9:59.05.
• Jayden Hutchinson posted a time of 1:47.87 to finish 1st in the 200 yard free. 
• The winning time in the 50 freestyle was 22.07 seconds, which was Dylan Kopacki for the men's side. 
• Connor Henning registered a time of 2:03.24 to win the 200 IM. He was 1st in the 200 fly as well, finishing with a time of 2:00.22.
• Ryan Langdon was 1st in the 100 free, posting a time of 49:21 seconds. 
• Overmyer posted a time of 2:03.28 to win the 200 backstroke.
• Peter Lin was the 1st place finisher in the 500 free, finishing with a mark of 4:52.63. 
• Jared Caudill was 1st in the 200 breast with his time of 2:20.25. 
• The men's 400 freestyle relay was claimed by SVSU, as a time of 3:15.74 was psoted by Modglin, Rezende, Lin and Zachary Rychel. 

From head coach Bruce Zimmerman

"This afternoon's competition was a good opening meet for us. After seven weeks of nothing but practice, the team was energized and ready to compete against some outside competition. For the first meet of the season, we turned in some very solid performances. I was very happy with the performances of our large freshman class. If they had some jitters before the start of the meet, they didn't let it affect their performance. Our next competition at Kalamazoo will be a tougher test for the team and I will be looking for some improved performances as we progress through the season."

Up Next...

Saginaw Valley is back in action on Saturday, Oct. 20 when it travels to compete at Kalamazoo College. The first event is slated for 2:00 p.m.

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