The LSU Swimming and Diving team opened up the 2014-15 season with the annual Purple and Gold Intrasquad Friday in the LSU Natatorium. The purple team defeated the gold team 147-124
“This was a good meet and we took a lot of positive things from it,” LSU Swimming coach Dave Geyer said. “There are definitely some things that we have to work on before our first SEC dual meet.”
The purple team won 17 of 28 individual events with Amber Carter, Brandon Goldman, Kara Kopcso and Daniel Helm each notching wins in two events.
The senior, Carter, took first in the 50 free (23.25) and 100 fly (53.95). The Houston, Texas native also won the 200-medley relay along with Caley Oquist, Taryn MacKenzie and Katlin Sepp.
Sophomores Goldman and Kopcso also sparked the purple squad with wins. Goldman beat out senior Frank Greeff in the 200 fly with a time of 1:52.09 and Daniel Swietlicki in the 200 back with a time of 1:51.34.
Kopcso, the LSU record holder in the 200 fly, notched five points for purple in the event with a time of 1:59.51. She also took the 200 IM with a time of 2:03.35.
Helm swept the diving events on the men’s side. The senior competed against the transfer Andrew Suchla in a skills competition as well as a one-meter, three-meter and 10-meter composite event.
Junior Cassie Weil and freshman Madison Sthamann also provided big wins for the purple team in the intrasquad meet.
“We did really good today and we’ve trained hard this week,” LSU Diving coach Doug Shaffer said. “This gave us an opportunity in a relaxed environment to get the competitive mode going. There were some good things going for us today.”
Freshmen Damen Pheiffer and Joao Mescolote also provided wins in their first collegiate meet. Pheiffer took first in the 200 freestyle (1:42.54) with fellow freshman Jake Markham following in second place.
Juniors Jessie James and Megan Cox notched wins in the 1000 free (10:24.32) and 200 free (1:53.14) respectively.
Sophomore men Garrett House and Silas Dejean also provided five points each. House took first in the 200 breast with a time of 2:07.79. Dejean touched the wall first in the 100 breast (57.73).
For the gold team, sophomores Elliot Dewlen and Colleen O’Neil each collected two wins. Dewlen won the 1000 free (9:48.84) and the 500 free (4:47.71). O’Neil swept the 100 breast (1:04.07) and 200 breast (2:21.50) for gold.
Logan Rysemus, Devin McCaffrey, Daniel Swietlicki and Alex Linge also notched gold wins for the men. Rysemus won the 100 back (50.06) and McCaffrey won the 100 fly (51.32). Linge, the junior, also took home the win in the 100 free (47.39). Swietlicki touched the wall first in the 200 IM (1:55.76).
Juniors Stacey Stanfield and Danielle Stirrat took the win for gold in the 500 free (5:05.73) and 200 back (1:59.13). Sophomore Leah Troskot also notched a win in the 100 free (51.94).
The Lady Tigers return to the pool Friday, Oct. 3 against Tulane to open the regular season. The meet begins at 5 p.m. and will be at the Reily Natatorium in New Orleans, Louisiana.
