Oct. 24, 2009
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—Senior Jennifer Patterson led the way for the Lobos as the squad opened the season with a victory over conference opponent Air Force, 206-94. New Mexico Swimming and Diving picked up 15 top-five finishes throughout the competition, but fell to Colorado Sate and San Diego State, 210-90 and 202-97 respectively.
Patterson smashed the competition in the 100-yard butterfly, touching the wall in 58.03 to capture first-place for the Lobos. The diving squad had an impressive opening, sweeping the top spots on the 1-meter dive while securing four of the top-five marks on the 3-meter. Ashlee Erickson finished first on the 1-meter dive with a mark of 261.80, followed by Aubrey Bush in second (253.30), Sasha Evangulova in third (240.15), and Alexandra Lusk in fourth (238.10). On the 3-meter Bush gathered another first-place finish for the Lobos with a score of 263.25, followed by Ashlee Erickson in third (255.50), Sasha Evangulova in fourth (249.70), and Alexandra Lusk in fifth (246.70).
Sophomore Marissa Campbell finished third in the 100-yard backstroke, finishing with a time of 58.67. The 400-yard freestyle relay team, composed of Patterson, Campbell, Tesse Maciejko, and Bridget O’Hara, scored points for the Lobos with a fourth place time of 3:36.09. Patterson, Campbell, Ashley Grisdale and Lindsey Morris secured fourth place in the 200-yard medley relay (1:49.88).
Maria Dudley picked up a fifth-place finish in the 1,000-yard freestyle with a time of 10:56.83. Also finishing with fifth-place times were, Patterson in the 200-yard freestyle (1:57.33), and Nanette Wittenberg in the 200-yard butterfly (2:12.27).
The Lobos return home to host Northern Colorado on Oct. 29 at 5 p.m. It is one of only two home meets for New Mexico. The team will return to competition in Seidler Natatorium for the 2009-10 season. Renovations to the pool feature a new scoreboard as well as an all-time records board.