Barnes Sets Blue-Gold Swimming Record
10/11/2009 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Oct. 9, 2009
PITTSBURGH—Junior Laura Barnes etched her name in the record books, once again, as she set a Blue-Gold record in the 200 breast, leading the Blue team to a 142.5-132.5 victory in Pitt’s annual Blue-Gold meet at Trees Pool.
The current school record holder, Barnes set the meet record with a time of 2:19.11, which is nearly three seconds faster than the previous mark set by Lindsey Tiberio in 2004.
Barnes was also a multi-event winner, claiming first in the 100 breast (1:04.91).
Another multi-event winner, junior Lisa McDonnell was one of two Panthers to win three races on the day. First, she recorded a time of 1:53.26 in the 200 free. Then she touched first in the 100 free (52.11) and 100 fly (58.49).
Swimming in her meet at Trees Pool, freshman Joanna Budzis also recorded three first-place finishes, including the 100 Back (57.33), 200 back (2:03.95) and 200 IM (2:08.87).
Other first-place finishes for Blue included junior Morgan Speece in the 1M diving event (252.85), while freshman Tori Alland earned the 500 free crown with a time of 5:04.45.
Additionally, seniors Beth Newell, Sophie Cross and Sara Sullivan were joined by junior Sara Looney (third leg) on the first place 200 medley relay team, as the Blue team recorded the victory in the first swimming event of the meet.
On the Gold squad, junior Cookie McIntyre took first in the 200 fly (2:08.01), while sophomore Elena Spak touched first in the 50 free (24.01) and senior Margo Ekstrom won the 1M board.
Gold’s 200 free relay team of junior Kristen McMullen, sophomore Yolandi Van Rooyen, senior Allie Horvath and Spak won the final event of the day with a time of 1:37.21.
Pitt opens its season on the road, facing St. Bonaventure on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 10 a.m.