Swimming's Boyce Sets School Record to Win 200 Medley
LEXINGTON, Va. - Freshman swimmer Grace Boyce set a new school record in the 200 individual medley on Friday at the VMI Keydet Midseason Invite in Virginia as she went on to win her event for the Lady Koala swim team in a time of 2:09.49 while also lowering her NAIA qualifying provisional cut time in the process as well. Boyce's prelim time of 2:08.71 was her season-best and a school record.
The meet consisted of NCAA Div. I VMI along with NAIA foe Milligan (TN) and Div. III foes such as Bridgewater College (Va.), William Peace (NC), Roanoke (Va.), Lynchburg (Va.), Hollins (Va.) and Southern VA University.
The 200 yard Free Relay team consisting of Boyce, the Schiavon sisters and freshman Anna Hardwick finished 7th overall out of 14 schools with a time of 1:48.34 seconds. Senior Giuliana Schiavon also placed 22nd of 30 in the 200 IM in a time of 2:30.69 while sister Sabrina Schiavon was 25th in 2:40. Hardwick also placed 27th in 2:41.
In the women's 400 yard Medley Relay on Friday, the Lady Koalas finished 6th of 16 in a time of 4:34 led by the team of S. Schiavon, Boyce, G. Schiavon, and Hardwick. On Saturday in the 200 Medley Relay, the Koalas placed 6th overall in 2:04 and consisted of Hardwick, Boyce, Giuliana, and sophomore Sabrina Schiavon with Boyce swimming the best time of 26.8 seconds.
On Saturday, G. Schiavon then finished 14th of 17 in the 100 Fly prelims in a time of 1:07.73 before finishing 13th overall in 1:06.4 in the finals. Hardwick finished 12th overall in the 400 IM Finals in a time of 5:48.
Boyce then swam a terrific race in the 100 Breaststroke Finals on Saturday placing 4th overall in 1:07.9 in the finals. In the prelims, Boyce was 3rd in 1:07.2 while S. Schiavon finished 20th out of 26 overall in the 100 Breast in a time of 1:19.23 as well. Junior Annabelle Lee also finished 33rd in the 100 Backstroke in 1:19.
Then on Sunday, in the 200 Breast prelims, Boyce finished 2nd overall in 2:26.36 while G. Schiavon was 12th in the 200 Fly in 2:37. Hardwick was also 14th in the 1650 Free in 13:58.
The swim team has now finished up their fall season and will next take to the pool in January when they head up the road to Spartanburg to battle Converse University.
