The NM State swimming and diving team fell to Wyoming by a score of 178-122 on Friday at the NMSU Swimming and Diving Complex.
"Despite the loss today, our team showed great promise for our first time in competition," said head coach Rick Pratt. "We had many in-season best times, which was incredible. We showed a lot of grit throughout the meet and the team's energy was really contagious. We had five swimmers who did not swim today due to injuries and illness and we'll be much better with a couple holes in the lineup filled. Our divers were also very good today, and it was exciting for our young athletes to perform for the first time. Overall, we are at an improved place compared to this time last season. It was an exciting start and I'm looking forward to everyone continuing to get better."
In the first event of the day, the Aggies finished second in the 400 Medley Relay. NM State's Georgia Brown, Lauren Wood, Dorottya Lennert and Picabo Bender combinded for a time of 3:53.59, just behind Wyoming's 3:51.64.
NM also dropped the second event, the 1000-yard freestyle. Senior Emily Nightingale finished third with a time of 10:43.96.
The Aggies rebounded in the third event to take the 200-Yard Freestyle, however. Sophomore Picabo Bender won the event with a time of 1:52.70.
Sophomore Georgia Brown finished second in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 57.29.
Freshman Lauren Wood finished second in the 100-yard breaststroke, the fifth event, with a time of 1:05.95.
NM State bounced back to win the 200-yard butterfly. Senior Dorottya Lennert, the school record-holder in the event, won with a time of 2:04.18.
Brown placed fourth in the 50-yard freestyle, finish with a time of 25.40.
In the 1-meter diving event, Senior Lauren Reifel finished second recieving a score of 258.60.
Bender finished in second in the 100-yard freestyle posting a time of 52.85.
Senior Cassandra Rupp finished third in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:06.87.
NM State won the 200-yard breaststroke finishing one-two. Lauren Wood won the event with a time of 2:21.69 and sophomore Jennifer Brennecke finished in second with a time of 2:23.34.
Junior Natalie French finished in fourth in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:16.50.
In the 100-yard fly, Dorottya Lennert set a new pool record with her time of 55.47, and in the process won the event. The previous record was held by Jorgi Hobson with a time of 55.85.
The Aggies won the 3-meter diving event, with Lauren Reifel receiving a score of 292.80.
Lennert won the 200-yard IM with a time of 2:07.58, completing a sweep of her individual events.
In the final event of the day, NM State finished third in the 200-yard freestyle relay. The team of Jannah Sonnenschein, Cori Molisee, Picabo Bender and Cassandra Rupp combined to post
a time of 1:39.34.
The Aggies are back in action on Thursday, October 29 as they host Northern Colorado at 6 p.m. at the NMSU Swimming and Diving Complex.
