WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – After competing in eight meets during the 2019-20 campaign, its first full season of competition since 2009-10, the Salem swim team wraps up the slate on Saturday, Feb. 1, when it heads to Meisenheimer, N.C., for a clash with Pfeiffer at 1 p.m.
Salem coaches Tim Hillen and Vavina Lapham have helped guide the team to 37 Top-3 finishes in those eight meets. The Spirits have earned 11 first place finishes, including the 200-meter freestyle relay, which came when Pfeiffer and Salem last met on Nov. 9, 2019. In that event the combination of Olivia Kleven, Corrin Shores, Ashleigh Nelson and Amy Stutzer posted a time of 2:09.38.
Kleven's success in the pool extends beyond her contributions to the relay unit, as she has claimed first-place in a program-best eight individual events, topping a previous mark (six) that belonged to Paige Martin. Kleven has laid claim to 14 Top-3 finishes, including a first-place finish in the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke in the Spirits' most recent meet which was held at Greensboro College on Jan. 18.
Corrin Shores, who joined the team after the conclusion of volleyball season, has come through with seven Top-3 performances. Shores finished second in the 50 butterfly and 50 freestyle at the dual meet with Pfeiffer on Nov. 9 and claimed a pair of second place finishes in the 200 freestyle and 100 freestyle at the Greensboro / Virginia Wesleyan dual on Dec. 7.
Sophomore Allison Wakefield has also been instrumental in Salem's success this season, making six Top-3 finishes along the way. Wakefield capped off the 400 freestyle of the dual meet with Pfeiffer on Nov. 9 by finishing first in 6:22.58, claiming her first individual title of the season. Just over two months later, at a dual with Guilford and Greensboro, Wakefield touched the wall first in the 500 freestyle in a time of 7:20.20. She also has two second-place finishes and two third-place outings in 2019-20.
RECAPPING THE LAST MEET (Greensboro / Guilford Dual; Jan 18): The Salem swim team earned seven Top-3 finishes at a meet held at Greensboro College's Reynolds Family Student Life Center Pool on Saturday, Jan. 18. The Spirits earned a 61-25 victory over the host Pride and fell by a 96-43 margin to Guilford at the meet.
Junior Olivia Kleven was responsible for two of Salem's Top-3 performances, finishing first in both the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke, while Allison Wakefield was first in the 500 freestyle. Wakefield also laid claim to third in the 200 freestyle and teammate Corrin Shores brought home third in both the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle events.
Salem posted a second-place finish in the 200 medley relay as the combination of Shores, Kleven, Rachel Black and Amy Stutzer notched a time of 2:30.50. They became the fifth unit in Salem swimming history to post a time of 2:30 or better, narrowly missing the fourth-best time in program history, which came on Feb. 2, 2010 by the team of Bethany Eaton, Hope Kerr-Read, Paige Martin and Laura Phillips (2:27.87).
For more information on Salem swimming check out www.salemspirits.com.
