Nov. 18, 2017
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State swimming team extended its lead to a commanding 153.5 points on the second day of the A3 Invitational, using first-place times in six of seven events on Friday evening.
The Aztecs started the final round with a win in the 200 medley relay, as Elliyana Ferrin, Morganne McKennan, Summer Harrison, and Alma Thormalm teamed up to post the second-fastest time in Aztec Aquaplex history and the 31st fastest time in the nation this year at 1:42.00. The time is also the fastest in the Mountain West during the 2017-18 campaign.
McKenna Meyer continued to rewrite the record book after a pair of record-setting times on Thursday, posting a career-best 4:12.46 in the 400 IM. The B-cut time is the fastest in the Mountain West this year, the 10th fastest in the nation, the third fastest in Aztec history, and the fastest in the Aquaplex record book.
SDSU took four of the top five times in the 400 IM, using Meyer's historic effort in addition to season-best times from Frida Berggren (4:14.06), Rachael Kelch (4:22.31) and Cori Casper (4:25.24), who finished second, fourth and fifth, respectively.
Summer Harrison continued the winning ways for the Aztecs in the 100 fly, touching the wall at a season-best 53.88. SDSU took three of the top four spots in the 100 fly, with Courtney Vincent (54.42) and Alma Thormalm (56.66) placing second and fourth, respectively.
Marina Preiss recorded a first-place time of 1:50.61 in the 200 free, setting a new career-best for the senior. Preiss was followed by a pair of Aztecs in Peyton Wilson (1:51.98) and Cassidy Henson (1:52.29), who finished third and fourth, respectively, in the A final.
Freshman Elliyana Ferrin stole the show in the 100 back, posting the seventh-fastest time in school history at 54.55 to earn first-place honors. The time also set a new pool record, while also qualifying for a B-cut time. The time also is the 42nd fastest time in the nation and the fastest in the Mountain West.
To start off the 800 free relay, Berggren set a new 200 free pool record with a time of 1:48.53. Teammates Meyer, Preiss and Peyton Wilson backed Berggren's impressive start and eventually won the race in comfortable fashion, posting a time of 7:20.86 - 7.34 seconds faster than second-place San Diego. The time is the ninth fastest in school history and breaks a four-year-old Aquaplex record, besting the previous mark of 7:26.95 by 6.09 seconds.
The Aztecs look to capture its second A3 Invitational title in the last four years tomorrow, as the meet concludes with the 1650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, and 400 free relay.
Team Scores
San Diego State - 1,133
UC San Diego - 979.50
Fresno Pacific - 679
Cal State East Bay - 479
Azusa Pacific - 395
Loyola Marymount - 363
Pepperdine - 323.50
San Diego - 112