Results (PDF)
TUNICA, Miss. - Both Eastern Illinois swimming units completed a long holiday training trip over the weekend, capturing a pair of third place finishes at the Tunica Invitational, which featured six teams on the women's side and five squads for the men.
Eastern combined for 1,192 points with the men and women earning 641 and 551 points, respectively. All third place finishes.
The Panthers combined for four first place finishers with Lauren Zillmer running away with the 50-Free title, off a 24.98 sprint. Zillmer then followed up with another first place in the 200-Free, touching the wall ahead of the competition in 1:58.41.
Both EIU squads took home first in the 100-Breast as Joe Ciliak (59.55) and Kelli Dicanio (1:08.57) both won their respective races.
Meanwhile, the lone EIU relay squad to finish first came on the women's side, as Laura Nilsen, Kelli Dicanio, Kellie Logterman and Lauren Zillmer won the 400-Medley Relay with a new season high time of 3:59.36.
EIU second place finishers included runner-ups in both 200-IM events, thanks to Ken Tiltges (1:57.43) and Laura Nilsen (2:10.99). Other Panther women finished second as Laura Nilsen touched second in both the 200-Back ( 2:10.25) and 100-Back (1:00.50).
Lauren Zillmer continued an impressive weekend with a second place finish in the 100-Free, topping her seed time with a 54.27 finish, while Kelli Dicanio also had a nice meet, taking second in the 200-Breast off a time of 2:28.90.
Two EIU women's relays took second, with the foursome of Lauren Zillmer, Molly Nordyke, Alyssa Lehman, and Tyler Crittenden earning a 200-Free Relay time of 1:39.87, while Laura Nilsen, Kelli Dicanio, Kellie Logterman, and Tyler Crittenden combined for second in the quick 200-Medley Relay with a time of 1:51.82.
Finally, third place finishers for Eastern came from Matt Scaliatine, who was the lone EIU individual to take a third, after earning a 2:13.64 time in the 200-Breast.
However, several EIU relay squads on the men's side captured third, including the 800-Free Relay of Joe Ciliak, Rich Waszak, Daniel Enge, and Mike Lehman, the 400-Medley team of Rich Waszak, Joe Ciliak, Cody Showers, and Ken Tiltges, and the squad of Rich Waszak, Joe Ciliak, Cody Showers, and John Wilson in the 200-Medley Relay.
Both Panther squads finished third in the 400-Free Relay events, with Ken Tiltges, John Wilson, Colin McGill, and Tyler Hsieh, while on the women's side, Alyssa Lehman, Tyler Crittenden, Molly Nordyke and Lauren Zillmer combined for third.
Missouri State won the team title on both sides, as Delta State finished just ahead of both Panther teams for second. Fellow Summit League foe Centenary, meanwhile, ended up in fourth place.
Panthers will return for second semester action, getting away from the warmer weather in the southern states to host arch-rival Western Illinois in a make-up meeting on Friday (Jan. 15) and entertain instate foe Millikin on Saturday (Jan. 16), with first splashes set for 4 pm and 1 pm, respectively, at EIU's Ray Padovan Pool.
Women's Tunica Standings:
1. Missouri State (1,061)
2. Delta State (675)
3. Eastern Illinois (551)
4. Centenary (536.50)
5. Arkansas-Little Rock (288.50)
6. Rhodes College (189)
Men's Tunica Standings:
1. Missouri State (988.50)
2. Delta State (829)
3. Eastern Illinois (641)
5. Centenary (564.50)
5. Rhodes College (182)
Combined Team Scores:
1. Missouri State (2,049.50)
2. Delta State (1,504)
3. Eastern Illinois (1,192)
4. Centenary (1,101
5. Rhodes College (371)
... for more info, contact Bart Rettberg, Asst. SId
