Eagles Take Fourth at MAC Championship

Final Scores

Saturday Results

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Eastern Michigan University women's swimming and diving team finished in fourth place at the 2009 Mid-American Conference Championship, Feb. 28, at Bowling Green State University. The Eagles compiled 497.5 points over the four-day event while setting six new EMU marks.

Miami University took first with 639.5 points. Ohio, the 2008 MAC Champion, finished runner-up with 611.5 points with Toledo placing third with 568.5 points. After the Eagles were Akron (347), Buffalo (335), Bowling Green (305.5) and Ball State (200.5).

Freshman Samantha Partridge (Carmel, Ind.-Carmel) took fourth in the 1,650 free to start the day in the pool for EMU, hitting the wall in 16:45.87. Partridge is the new EMU record holder, beating the old time by almost seven seconds. Senior Emily Mekesa (Gates Mills, Ohio-Gilmore Academy) placed eighth in the same event with a time of 16:53.56.

Senior Alissa Ricard (Tucson, Ariz.-Catalina Foothills) came in fourth in the 100 free while Sarah Kowalski (Muncie, Ind.-Yorktown) placed sixth. Ricard's mark of 50.08 was the second-best time in EMU history. Ashley Durand (Lincoln, Neb.-Southeast) picked up a runner-up finish and NCAA 'B' cut-time of 2:12.61 in the 200 breast. Her time set a new EMU varsity record, improving the old mark by almost four seconds. Teammate Chelsea Allard (Walnut Creek, Calif.-Lake Forest (Ill.)) finished seventh.

Sophomore Elisa Torres (Antioch, Calif.-Deer Valley) came away with a fourth place showing in the 200 fly, finishing in 2:01.05 to give her a new EMU record. In the final event of the evening, Kowalski, Steph Cholyk (Aurora, Ont.-Aurora), Hannah Burandt (Parma, Ohio-Parma) and Ricard teamed up for a runner-up finish in the 400 free relay. The team's time of 3:21.42 was an NCAA 'B' time.

New EMU records set

1,650 free- Samantha Partridge; 16:45.87

200 breast- Ashley Durand; 2:12.61

200 fly- Elisa Torres; 2:01.05

400 IM- Samantha Partridge; 4:20.06

100 breast- Ashley Durand; 1:02.50

200 IM- Ashley Durand; 2:01.99