USAFA, Colo.— The Lobos were in complete control during Saturday’s tri-meet at the Air Force Academy, winning 11 out of 16 events, seven of which involved seniors, as UNM defeated Colorado State and the Air Force Academy, 168-130 and 211-87, respectively.
UNM started off the meet strong, tallying victories in the first three events on the day, two of which came on back-to-back wins from senior Adriana Palomino in the 1000- and 200-yard freestyle.
In the first event of the day, the Lobos’ 200-yard medley relay team of senior Konoha Shinada, junior Breanna Wiercinski and freshmen Hedda Øritsland and Katie Pollock produced the fastest time with 1:45.99 to take the event.
Both Palomino and Øritsland each came out with four wins on the day- three individual and one as a member of a relay- to pace the Lobos. Palomino added a win in the 500-yard freestyle (5:06.09) to go with her previously mentioned wins in the 1000-yard freestyle (10:29.68) and 200-yard freestyle (1:54.37) and Øritsland recorded the top time in the 50-yard freestyle (23.62), 100-yard freestyle (51.37) and the 100-yard butterfly (56.53).
A pair of divers, junior Natasha Dark and senior Allyson Concepcion, helped the Lobos sweep the diving events and set new season bests en route to the victories. Dark set a season best while winning the 3-meter dive event with a final score of 279.90. Concepcion won the 1-meter dive event, setting a season best with a final score of 267.95, which also earned her an NCAA Zone-qualifying mark. She also set a season best in the 3-meter dive event after posting a 274.65 to add a second-place finish to her 1-meter win and to give the Lobos a 1-2 finish in the event.
UNM actually finished with the top three marks in the 3-meter dive as freshman Jocelyn Gallais took third in the event with a score of 266.55. Dark also finished third in the 1-meter dive with a 256.85 to give the junior a pair of top-three finishes of her own.
The final Lobo to win an individual race was senior Carol De Groote Tavares in the 200-yard backstroke, touching the wall at 2:06.39 to win the race.
UNM closed the day with a final win in the 400-yard freestyle relay, with Shinada, De Groote Tavares, Palomino and sophomore Matea Sumajstorcic (3:33.04) earning the victory.
The Lobos will return to the pool in 2019 with a meet at Pepperdine on Jan. 5.
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