Eagles Girls Swim Earns Highest Finish in Program History at MIAA Sectionals

By Emily Brennan

The Mystic Valley girls swim team opened post-season competition at the MIAA Girls Sectional Meet on Saturday at the WPI Pool. Mystic Valley swam to their top finish in program history with a score of 125 points, good for 7^th place overall.

The girls 200 medley relay A-team of Sydney Cao, Crystal Tang, Isabella Pennachio, and Lana Albuquerque started things off swimming in 1:58.33, dropping almost a full second from the teams in season best, as the four swam to a 9^th place finish.

Sophomore Britney Nayiga swam a lifetime-best time in the 50-yard freestyle with her sixth-place finish (25.44). Lucia Antonucci raced to break the school record in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:10.56. The previous record was held by her older sister, Sofia Antonucci.

In the last event of the day, the 400 Free Relay of Isabella Cirame, Cao, Antonucci, and Nayiga placed 5^th to put themselves in the record book, clinching a new school record time of 3:49.30.

The 200-freestyle relay team of Albuquerque, Cirame, Antonucci, and Nayiga finished 5^th place on the podium as the foursome clocked the second-fastest time in program history (1:43.46).

In the 200-yard IM, Cirame led four MV swimmers, placing 12th in a season best time of 2:20.50.  Pennachio set a new personal best and took 19th with a time of 2:24.04, Antonucci hit the wall at 2:24.48 and Khloe Co rounded out the group, placing 29th in 2:29.45.

Cirame claimed another 12th-place finish in the 100 Free, putting down a lifetime-best time of 56.60. Cao followed suit, finishing 22^nd in the event with a time of 58.00.

The Eagles finished fifteenth in last year’s state meet and have the potential to top that result. Head Coach Andrew DiGiacomo said he is excited and “stunned by just how well the girls swam today, as we prepare for the state meet the excitement continues to build.” The MIAA Girls North State Tournament will take place on Saturday (Feb. 17) at 3:45 p.m. Results from last weekend’s sectional meet events are listed below.

200 Freestyle Relay

Albuquerque, Cirame, Antonucci, Nayiga – 5^th – 1:43.46

50 Free

Britney Nayiga – 6th – 25.44

Lana Albuquerque – 13^th – 26.07

200 Free

Isabella Cirame – 12^th – 2:20.50

Isabelle Pennachio – 19^th – 2:24.04

Lucia Antonucci – 21^st – 2:24.48

Khloe Co – 29^th – 2:29.45

100 Fly

Isabelle Pennachio – 19^th – 1:05.33

Khloe Co – 32^nd – 1:08.29

200 Medley Relay

Cao, Pennachio, Tang, Albuquerque – 9^th – 1:58.33

100 Breast

*Lucia Antonucci – 6^th – 1:10.56

Britney Nayiga -9^th – 1:12.69

Crystal Tang – 25^th – 1:17.49

100 Free

Isabella Cirame – 12^th – 56.60

Sydney Cao – 22^nd – 58.00

Lana Albuquerque – 26^th – 58.76

400 Free Relay

*Cirame, Cao, Antonucci, Nayiga – 4^th – 3:49.30

*New Team Record