DUAL 1 HEAT SHEET | DUAL 1 TIMELINE
DUAL 2 HEAT SHEET | DUAL 2 TIMELINE
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Salem swim team returns to the pool for the first time since November 20, 2021 this weekend at the Salem Aquatic Center. The Spirits are hosting a dual meet that will pit them against Greensboro, Piedmont, St. Andrews and Warren Wilson in meets set for 11:45 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.
This weekend marks the first meet for the Spirits since they traveled to Cary, N.C., to take part in the William Peace Invitational on November 20, 2021.
NO SPECTATORS ALLOWED, HOWEVER LIVE STREAM AVAILABLE: Due to changes to the Salem College Athletics Spectator Policy, and the number of teams and participants along with limited availability at the Salem Aquatic Center, no spectators will be allowed to events held in the aquatic area at this time. However, the meets will be live streamed and accessible to the public via our website by clicking this link.
LOOKING BACK AT WILLIAM PEACE INVITATIONAL: Salem swimmers Abigail Hawkins and Olivia Nivens wrapped up the Pacer Invitational, held at the Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary, N.C., with five Top-50 performances each.
Hawkins wrapped up the meet with the top individual finish, 24th, which came in the 200 backstroke, following a time of 3:24.31. She also posted a 26th-place finish in the 100 backstroke, tapping the wall in 1:30.89. Hawkins was among the Top-40 finishers in the 200 individual medley (3:30.70/32nd), 200 freestyle (3:00.04/37th) and 100 breaststroke (1:59.39/39th). She wrapped up the 100 freestyle with a mark of 1:23.11, placing 47th along the way.
Nivens, who competed in six events throughout the course of the two-day meet, enjoyed her highest finish (27th) in the 200 backstroke, posting a time of 3:50.27. That was one spot higher than what she finished off the 100 backstroke, which she wrapped up in a time of 1:42.19. Nivens claimed 33rd in the 200 individual medley (3:34.47) and was 38th overall in the 100 breaststroke (1:59.39), shaving most two minutes off her previous personal best. She placed 44th in the 100 freestyle, tapping the wall in 1:17.63—three minutes better than her previous personal best, along with finishing 55th in the 50 freestyle with a time of 34.01.
Kylie Clark was among the Top-50 finishers in four events for Salem, including a 26th-place performance in the 200 backstroke, best of any Salem swimmer, which came by virtue of a time of 3:46.41. She posted the 31st-best time in the 100 backstroke (1:45.28) and closed out the 500 freestyle in 34th at 9:37.48. Her remaining Top-40 finish, 39th, came in the 200 freestyle with a mark of 3:30.24. She capped off the meet with a 51st-place finish in the 100 freestyle (1:27.74) and was 64th in the 50 freestyle (39.55).
ANALYZING THE SPIRITS: Salem is taking part in its fifth meet of the season this weekend against the quartet of Greensboro, Piedmont, St. Andrews and Warren Wilson. Collectively, the Spirits have earned 18 Top-10 finishes and have been among the Top-3 finishers on nine occasions.
Abigail Hawkins: Hawkins has enjoyed 14 Top-50 individual finishes over the course of the season, finishing inside the Top-10 on seven occasions. She claimed four of those Top-10 finishes at the Pfeiffer Dual on October 9, touching the wall fourth in both the 50 backstroke (41.94) and 50 freestyle (35.78) while placing third in the 50 butterfly (42.28) and seventh in the 100 freestyle (1:19.89). The remaining three Top-10 finishes for Hawkins came at the Greensboro Dual on October 30th, where she was first in both the 50 backstroke (41.25) and 50 butterfly (31.51). Against The Pride, Hawkins was third in the 50 freestyle with a mark of 32.93.
Kylie Clark: Clark enters this weekend's meet with seven Top-50 individual finishes this season, finishing among the Top-10 on three occasions. All three of the Top-10 finishes came at the October 30th Greensboro Dual, including her best finish (fourth), in the 50 backstroke, where she logged a time of 48.48. Clark grabbed fifth in the 100 freestyle against The Pride, touching the wall in 1:38.58, and was seventh in the 50 freestyle with a mark of 45.05.
Olivia Nivens: Nivens is responsible for 11 Top-50 performances this season, finishing among the Top-5 on four occasions. She provided head coach Vavina Lapham with a pair of third-place outings at the Greensboro Dual on October 30th in the 100 freestyle (1:21.81) and 50 backstroke (41.18), resulting in her top finish of the season. Nivens also claimed fourth in the 50 freestyle (38.69) and fifth in the 50 breaststroke (53.10) at the Greensboro Dual.
Sophia Lee: First year swimmer Sophia Lee has emerged with four Top-10 finishes this season for Lapham. Lee has a pair of second-place finishes for the Spirits in the 100 breaststroke (1:41.37) and 100 individual medley (1:49.66), which came at the Greensboro Dual. She also came through with a third-place finish in the 50 breaststroke (44.45) and a seventh-place performance in the 100 freestyle (1:47.69) against The Pride.
BREAKING DOWN THE COMPETITION
Greensboro: Greensboro has taken part in six meets this season, but last entered the pool competitively on November 19-20 at the William Peace Invitational. The Pride finished eighth in that event. The lone team win for Greensboro this season came against Salem, who they edged 78-72 on October 30th.
Piedmont: Like both Salem and Greensboro, Piedmont last entered the pool competitively at the William Peace Invitational in late November. The Lions finished sixth of 12 teams participating in that event. Piedmont claimed two team victories this season against Warren Wilson (157-51) and Point University (118-24), which came in the first two meets of the campaign.
St. Andrews: The Knights have traveled to three meets through the 2021-22 season, claiming an 86-74 victory at Columbia College on October 30th to open the slate. St. Andrews followed that up by facing William Peace (L, 122-49) and West Virginia Tech (W, 86-35) in Laurinburg, N.C. on November 13th. The Knights last entered the pool at the William Peace Invitational, where they were 11th of 12 units.
Warren Wilson: The Owls opened the season with a series of strong outings against both Randolph and Emory & Henry on October 9th, falling to Randolph by a score of 79-68 and the Wasps 117-39. Warren Wilson came through with a seventh-place outing at the Guilford College Invite on November 6th. The Owls wrapped up November with a 10th-place finish at the William Peace Invitational, marking their most recent meet of the slate.