Dec. 4, 2009
Eight Purdue divers, five men and three women, finished in scoring places Friday during the first day of the Ohio State Invitational in Columbus, Ohio.
Sophomore David Boudia led the charge by winning the men's 1-meter springboard event. The three-time All-American from Noblesville, Ind., recorded a season-best score of 415.75 points to better the field of 25 competitors. Junior David Colturi scored 353.65 in the final to finish fifth, and classmate J.P. Perez placed eighth with 314.20 points.
Senior Kyle Mitrione was the next finisher after putting 287.50 points on the board with his six-dive list, while freshman Jimmy Page earned a 14th-place finish with his 265.45 score. Junior Danny Cox rounded out the Boilermakers' contingent in the event with his 20th-place, 243.35 finish.
The three Boilermaker women scored in seventh through ninth place in the 3-meter. Junior Kara Cook led the way with her 275.55 score in the final after she earned a season-best score of 277.35 in the afternoon session. Sophomore Casey Matthews recorded the highest score of the trio when her preliminary list earned 282.55 points. She then scored 265.85 in the final to place eighth. Junior Erin Mertz scored 268.25 points in the preliminary round and placed ninth.
The Ohio State Invitational continues Saturday with the men tackling the 3-meter and the women moving to the 1-meter. The diving events are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. ET from inside the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion.