Women's Swimming and Diving Improves to 4-0
11/5/2010 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Nov. 5, 2010
CINCINNATI, Ohio—Freshman Julie Harrison was named Pitt’s Performer of the Meet, as the University of Pittsburgh women’s swimming and diving team earned a 177.5-65.5 victory over Cincinnati, this evening at the Keating Aquatics Center. The Panthers improved to 4-0 on the year and 1-0 in Big East action.
Competing in the 400 IM for the first time this season, Harrison stopped the clock first at 4:26.11. She earned a four-second victory. This was also one of many Panther sweeps, as Harrison led the Panthers in the event. Freshman Veronica Lee was second, senior Cookie McIntyre placed third.
Harrison was also victorious in the 500 free. At five minutes even, she skimmed four seconds off her season best. Trailing slightly were sophomore Kelsey Herbst for second and freshman Lauren Matevish in third.
The Panthers dominated the freestyle events. Later, Matevish won the 1,000 free when she stopped the clock at 10:12.49. Her finish was 20 seconds faster than second place.
Later, Pitt swept the 200 free. Senior Tamara Lelli touched the wall first with a season-best 1:53.62. Herbst was second and classmate Yolandi Van Der Merwe was third.
Then in the sprint free, junior Elena Spak won the 100 with a time of 52.82. She was also the anchor free of the 200 medley relay that placed first in the 200 medley relay to open the swimming events. Joined by sophomore Joanna Budzis and seniors Laura Barnes and Caitlin Trant, the squad earned a season-best finish of 1:46.79, which ranks second among the Big East, to-date.
Close to setting a pool record (last recorded at 3:30.36) in the 400 free relay, Spak, Lelli, sophomore Meghann McGoldrick and senior Kristen McMullan won the final event of the day, with another season best at 3:30.91.
Earlier in the day, McGoldrick out-reached McMullan at the wall in an exciting 50 free race. McGoldrick won the event with a time of 24.40. McMullan was second at 24.43, while junior Yolandi Van Rooyen was third overall.
In another first place performance, freshman Veronica Lee won the 200 fly when she beat a Cincinnati swimmer to the wall at 2:05.38. Lee was trailing early in the race, but outlasted her opponent by 29 hundreths of a second. That time is also a season best for the Panthers.
Senior Morgan Speece won the 1M diving event with a score of 272.85. On the 3M board, Speece tied for second with 259.57 points.
The Panthers remain on the road for a meet against Louisville on Saturday, Nov. 6, at noon.