Four Event Wins Highlight Meet at NAU
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — There’s a saying that you can make a lot of improvement and strides between Game 1 and Game 2. That is usually reserved for ball sports, but it’s most definitely the case fo the Lobo Swimming and Diving program. UNM doubled its event win total from its first meet, including a relay win and another diving win for Alice English as UNM lost to NAU 183-102, showcasing a huge improvement in just two short weeks.
Along with English’s third win in four tries this season, the Lobos got individual event wins from Jordan Foster in the 100-yard butterfly and by Tahlia Micallef in the 200-yard individual medley. The Lobos also picked up a win in the 200-yard freestyle relay.
While picking up three swimming event wins after not getting one against Air Force or Colorado State, what has to make the coaching staff happy is the way UNM won those events.
In the 100-yard butterfly, the Lobos went 1-2-3-4 with Foster winning and closely followed by Sophia Corder, Alex McGill and Kaylah Yazzie. In the 200 IM, Micallef, Layni Anderle and Amaya Oliphant went 1-2-3.
The Lobos also took the first two slots in the final 200-yard freestyle relay, giving Foster a swcond win. She swam the second leg with Katy McCarter, Brynn Quintana and Sophia Corder.
In the 3-meter dive, Alice English scored a 274.35 to win the event, meanly equalling her 280 NCAA Zone qualifying score from the last meet. While she didn’t win the 1-meter, her 266.70 score was a 15-point improvement from the opener.
It was easy to pick out the improvements with wins, but it was in the total times as well. In Micallef’s 200 IM win, she went from 2:17.68 to a 2:13.24. Maya Clise, who nearly won the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:25.23, cut off nearly two seconds off her time from the opening meet. In the 100-yard backstroke Iryna Tsesiul, Yazzie and Maddie Deucher all turned in improved times as well.
New Mexico hosts New Mexico State in its next meet on Saturday, November 11 at Siedler Natatorium.