Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer

Spirits Trek to Triangle for Pacer Invite in Cary

Spirits Trek to Triangle for Pacer Invite in Cary
Posted: Nov 17, 2021

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Salem swim team is making the short trek to Cary, N.C., for a two-day meet being hosted by William Peace, which will take place at the Triangle Aquatic Center. The meet will begin on Friday, November 19th and conclude the following day.

It marks the fourth meet of the season for the Spirits, who last competed in the Guilford Invitational on Saturday, November 6th.

LOOKING BACK AT GUILFORD INVITATIONAL: The Salem swim team wrapped up its appearance at the Guilford Invitational, held in the Greensboro Aquatic Center, with six Top-50 finishes, including a pair of 19th-place relay performances.

Among the top individual finishers on the afternoon for the Spirits was first year Olivia Nivens, who placed 44th overall in the 200 individual medley (3:34.21) and posted a 49th-place finish in the 100 breaststroke (1:55.07). Teammate Sophia Lee also laid claim to a Top-50 finish, posting the 45th-best time in the 100 breaststroke (1:41.33), while Abigail Hawkins was 50th in the same event with a mark of 1:56.78.

Salem had two relay units that finished 19th at the Guilford Invitational. The team of Tori Long, Kylie Clark, Anna Fretwell and Nivens wrapped up the 200 freestyle relay in 2:33.54. Meanwhile, the unit of Allison Wakefield, Hawkins, Lee and Nivens combined for a time of 2:48.39 in the 200 medley relay.

BREAKING DOWN THE MEET: The two-day meet in Cary will include races in the 50 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 100 breaststroke, 200 freestyle and 400 medley relay on Thursday. Friday's schedule will include the 100 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 backstroke, 500 freestyle and 200 medley relay.

  • Seven different Salem swimmers have taken part in the 50 freestyle for Salem head coach Vavina Lapham this season. There have also been seven Top-10 finishes in the event, including two from Abigail Hawkins, who placed third at the Greensboro Dual (October 30) and fourth at the Pfeiffer Dual (October 9). Hawkins' fourth-place performance at the Pfeiffer Dual resulted in the best time in the event this season (32.93).
  • Salem has had five competitors in the 100 backstroke this season, including senior captain Alison Wakefield, who has the lone Top-10 finish. Wakefield placed second in the event at the Greensboro Dual, logging a time of 1:43.66. The best individual time in the even came from Hawkins, who touched the wall in 1:29.56 at the Guilford Invitational.
  • Five Salem swimmers have competed in the 100 breaststroke through the first three meets. The best finish (second) and overall time (1:41.33) belong to Sophia Lee. Lee tapped the wall second in the Greensboro Dual and posted the best time (1:41.33) at the Guilford Invitational.
  • The combination of Wakefield, Anna Fretwell, Olivia Nivens and Sophia Lee have all competed in the 200 freestyle at the Guilford Invitational to open the November schedule. Wakefield enjoyed both the best finish (57th) and time (2:49.46).
  • The Spirits have never taken part in a 400 medley relay in program history.
  • Seven Spirits have competed in the 100 freestyle during the course of the 2021-22 season. There have been eight Top-10 performances and a pair of Top-3 finishes by Wakefield (second) and Nivens (third), which came at the Greensboro Dual on October 30th.
  • The last two Salem swimmers to compete in a 200 backstroke event were Bethany Eaton and Laura Phillips, which came in the 2009-10 season. The pair took part in the event at the ODAC/Atlantic States Championships, with Eaton placing 13th, following a time of 2:33.92 and Phillips finishing 22nd with a mark of 3:12.13.
  • Only Wakefield and Fretwell have competed in the 500 freestyle for Salem this season, which came at the Greensboro Dual. Wakefield won the event in a time of 8:10.00, while Fretwell was second with a mark of 9:50.59.
  • The most recent Salem swimmers to compete in the 100 butterfly were Olivia Kleven and Corrin Shores. Kleven posted and 11th-place finish (1:13.40) in the event at the Guilford Invite on October 5, 2019. Shores bested that finish, placing fifth, in a time of 1:33.93 at the Guilford/Sweet Briar Dual on November 16, 2019.
  • The quartet of Wakefield, Hawkins, Lee and Nivens placed 19th in the 200 medley relay at the Guilford Invitational on November 6th, posting a time of 2:48.39.