The University of Utah men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams lead Denver after the first day of competition. The men have a 107-71 lead over the Pioneers, while the women have an 88-78 edge heading into the second day of competition. The men’s team won seven of the nine events and the women won six of the nine events.

“We had a solid first-day of competition,” said DU head coach Jim Henry. “Everyone can do something better but for the first day of a three-meet weekend everyone performed well.”

Denver’s men’s team jumped to an early nine-point lead by winning the 200 medley relay. The Utes roared back in the second event, the 1650 free, with Adam Oliver (16:23.74), Jeremy Clark (16:33.91) and Eric Jorgensen (16:36.09) finishing first, second and third, respectively, to put Utah ahead 20-16. The Utes increased their lead to nine points (32-23) after George Evans (1:44.30) took top honors in the 200 free, while Tanner Folster placed third (1:46.74).

Andrew Cole helped the Utes increase their lead to 18 points (46-28) by winning the 100 back in 51.86 seconds. However, Denver claimed the top three spots in the 100 breast to cut Utah’s lead to five (49-44). Senior Jonathan Larsen won the 50 free in 20.57 seconds to give the Utes a 63-60 edge over the Pioneers.

In the 1-meter diving event, Sterling Richards beat out some tough competition by tallying 335.80 points to push Utah’s lead to 78-64. Andrew Brown won the 200 fly (1:56.92) to help pad Utah’s lead (92-69) going into the final event of the night, the 400 free relay.

Utah’s David Maasberg, Evans, Cole and Larsen finished the 400 free relay in 3 minutes, 05.65 seconds, to take top honors in the event. The Utes’ second team of Matthew Bailey, Clark, Michel DeCarolis and David Johnson placed second in the event with a time of 3 minutes, 11.97 seconds.

For the women, Utah jumped out to an early 23-13 lead after winning the first two events. Leah Jensen, Amber Walter, Jennifer Fredsall and Amy Barefield won the 200 medley relay (1:46.17) and Rachael Curci won the 1650 free with a time of 17 minutes, 30.87 seconds, outdistancing herself from second place by 16.94 seconds, to help the women start the meet strong.

However, the lady Pioneers won the 200 free, with Alison McInturff placing second (1:53.74), and the 100 back to take a six-point lead over the Utes (34-40). Marissa Martin finished second in the 100 back with a time of 59.66 seconds.

The Utes came back to win the next three events, the 100 back (Walter; 1:04.16), the 50 free (Fredsall; 23.34) and the 3-meter diving event (Patterson; 280.30 points) to regain the lead at 70-60. Denver captured the top two spots in the 200 fly, but Michelle Blair finished third (2:13.82) to give the Utes a one-point lead heading into the final event (75-74).

In the 400 free relay, Walter, McInturff, Fredsall and Barefield took top honors with a time of 3 minutes, 28.99 seconds. Denver almost claimed victory in the event, but Barefield’s final push at the end gave Utah the come-from-behind victory in the event, and a ten point lead heading into the second day of competition.

The two-day meet concludes tomorrow, Nov. 4, with the competition starting at noon.