– For the first time in program history, the Washington State swimming team defeated Arizona State. The Cougars knocked off the Sun Devils at Gibb Pool Friday evening, 155.5-106.5. The Sun Devils were welcomed to Pullman, Wash., for the first time in program history, and saw the Cougars take first place in 10 of the 14 events.
“That’s a big win for us,” Cougar Head Coach Tom Jager said. “We’re proud of this win. Obviously, it’s our goal to catch people. It’s just a dual meet, but it’s also a big dual meet for us and for Washington State.”
The Cougars splashed into the meet with a Gibb Pool record in the 200 medley relay. The team of Alison Mand, Frederikke Hall, Anna Brolin, and Hannah Bruggman clocked a time of 1:42.52, the fastest finish by the Cougars this season.
Bruggman also added first-place finishes in the 50 free and 100 free. Bruggman led the team to a top finish in the 200 free relay with a leadoff leg of 23.56 seconds. In total, Bruggman contributed 18 points to the Cougars’ total, bested only by junior Loree Olson (22 points).
Olson took first place in the 200 back with a time of 2:00.28, over three seconds faster than Arizona State in second place. Olson added a first-place finish in the 200 IM, her second-straight victory in the event after garnering the top finish against Arizona, Oct. 17.
Olson also finished second in the 100 back, behind senior Ali Mand. Mand touched the wall in 56.10 to give the Cougars the top two spots in the event. In addition, Mand contributed a third-place finish in the 100 fly. Mand saw only Crimson in front of her, as the Cougars swept the event. Sophomore Haley Rose Love touched the wall in 56.02, just ahead of freshman Anna Brolin in second.
In the 200 breast, junior Presley Wetterstrom took first place with a time of 2:15.92. The time is an NCAA Division I Qualifying B time and the fastest finish of the season for the Colfax, Calif., native. Wetterstrom contributed 13 points to the Cougar total, matching Love.
The Cougars also garnered a first-place finish in the 200 fly, as sophomore Elise Locke finished in 2:03.32, out-touching Arizona State’s Lori Kremer by 0.49 seconds.
The WSU women conclude their home stand at Gibb Pool with dual meets against Seattle and Northern Arizona Nov. 7 and 8, respectively. The Cougars will face the Redhawks at 5 p.m., and the Lumberjacks at 11 a.m.
