Rockets Welcome Florida Gulf Coast and Marshall Friday Night

Friday, November 8

Toledo, Ohio

6:00 p.m.

University of Toledo

Florida Gulf Coast

Emma Sampson and the Rockets are looking for their second and third wins this Friday.

Photo by: Haley Boehm

Rockets Welcome Florida Gulf Coast and Marshall Friday Night

11/6/2019 10:56:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving

Meet Preview

TOLEDO, Ohio - The Toledo swimming and diving team welcomes Florida Gulf Coast and Marshall to the UToledo Student Recreation Center on Friday, Nov. 8. The meet is set to begin at 6 p.m.

WORDS FROM INTERIM HEAD COACH BRIE GLOBIG
"We are excited to have Florida Gulf Coast and Marshall in Toledo on Friday. It's beneficial to challenge ourselves with talented teams that we do not normally compete with. It will be a sprint-based meet with many races coming down to the last few yards. I am excited to see how we will compete Friday."

SCOUTING THE EAGLES
Florida Gulf Coast is 5-1 this season, claiming two victories over Campbell, and one victory each over UNF, Georgia Southern, and Vanderbilt. The Eagles are coming off of a 204-142 loss to Houston. Florida Gulf Coast holds the all-time series advantage over Toledo, 1-0-0. The Rockets and Eagles met once in the 2017 season, where FGCU claimed a dominating 182-60 win over the Rockets. Returning to the pool for the Rockets from that meet are junior Lisa Eriksson and senior Maureen O'Sullivan. Eriksson took second in the 50 freestyle, and O'Sullivan took third in the 100 backstroke for the Rockets against the Eagles.

SCOUTING THE HERD
Marshall is 1-0 this season, claiming a 216.5-81.5 win over Youngstown State in early October. The Herd is coming off of a second-place finish at the West Virginia Games this past weekend, claiming 16 top-three finishes, including two first place finishes. Toledo holds the all-time series advantage over Marshall, 3-1-0. The Rockets have claimed two of their wins in the Glass City, the last coming in 2004 when the Rockets came out on top with a score of 171-126.

ATHLETES TO WATCH
Toledo

Freshman Lauren Kilgore led the way for all swimmers in the Rockets' meet at Youngstown State, registering 27 points. Kilgore opened the meet with a 2:07.19 in the 200 butterfly, taking first-place. Kilgore added two more wins, taking first in the 100 freestyle and 200 IM. Kilgore also did well against the Zips from Akron, taking third in the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly, and was a member of the second-place 400 free relay team.
Redshirt-freshman Kennedy Lovell led the way for the Rockets against Akron, taking home three first-place finishes. The Gerard, Ill. native took first in the 100 and 200 freestyles and 200 IM.
Backstroker Izzy Jones is itching to get back to what she does best this year. After setting the school record in the 200 backstroke her sophomore year, clocking a 1:56.10, Jones is on stride to break the 100 backstroke this year. Set in February of 2014, Christina Noens broke the previous record of 55.00, clocking a 54.33. Jones inched her way up the list to the second-fastest time in program history in the 100 backstroke in December of 2017, touching the wall in 54.57.

Florida Gulf Coast

Freshman Reese Wakefield will prove to be a threat in the diving well for the Eagles. Wakefield tabbed CCSA Diver of the Week honors for the third time this season, taking first on the three-meter and second on the one-meter against Houston.
Junior Petra Halmai will be a force in the pool, having claimed CCSA Swimmer of the Week honors for the second week in a row. Halmai led the Eagles against Houston with nationally-ranked performances in the 400 IM, 200 Fly, and 100 and 200 breasts.

Marshall

Jordyn O'Dell is a strong backstroker for The Herd in the pool. O'Dell won the 200 back at the West Virginia Games.
Catherine Bendziewicz will prove to be a force in the pool for the Herd, taking four events in The Herd's victory over Youngstown State early in October.

COMING UP
The Rockets will travel to Evanston, Ill. for the TYR Invitational hosted by Northwestern Nov. 22-24.