Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
UNLV
Rams win in Vegas
10/24/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
Oct. 24, 2008
By Stephanie Anderson
Athletic Media Relations
LAS VEGAS, Nev.--Colorado State swimming and diving came out on top at its first conference dual of the season, posting an avenging upset at UNLV on Friday with a final score of 174-134. The UNLV Rebels were tied for second place with Utah in the preseason conference poll, and Colorado State was fifth.
The diving team competed prior to the meet, and started things off with a 1-2-3 finish in the 1-meter event and a 1-3-4 in the 3-meter event. Nicole Kelley won both events with scores of 242.70 (1M) and 239.78 (3M). Freshman Shayna Solomon finished second in the 1-meter (236.47) and third in 3-meter (222.22), and Briley Ochs took third in the 1-meter (224.09) and received fourth in the 3-meter (214.35).
"Our divers started it off, " commented Head Coach John Mattos. "That was big for us considering we have a lot of fresh faces on the boards this year. They started us out strong, and that was important to get us going."
The Rams took control of the pool once they hit the blocks for the first event, winning the 200 Medley Relay that consisted of Breann Fuller, Nicole Lynch, Nora Kennedy, and Sam Dole (1:45.60). Fuller had an outstanding day, winning the 100 Back (56.81), and the 200 Back (2:02.81). Dole took the 50 Free (24.14), Lynch won the 100 Breast (1:06.23), Kennedy got the 100 Fly (57.40), Jen Muniz with the 200 IM (2:07.67), and the 400 Medley Relay team composed of Fuller, Emily Molzahn, Dole and Gisella Cianci also won with a time of 3:30.64.
"At the conference championships last year we couldn't even go that fast in the 200 Medley," added Mattos. "That's one of the fastest in-season times we've ever gone, and I'm very excited about that. This first relay sent a message to the other kids and I think after that we just went after it. We never looked back for the rest of the meet."
Another big story is the return of Michelle Price who was cleared Thursday by the doctors to compete after battling an illness that kept her out of the water for the last few weeks. Two and a half weeks ago it was questionable whether Price would be able to return at all this season. Friday, when she got in the water and competed she finished second in the 100 Back (58.21) and third in the 200 Back (2:05.53).
"When you start out like this against a team that was second in the conference last year, you know that you're battling with them," said Mattos. "They beat us so handily in our pool last year, and when we come in and do something like this with our team, it's a big thing. The kids are excited and they know they have to keep it going."
CSU heads to San Diego on Saturday for a quad dual with Air Force, New Mexico, and San Diego State, with the hopes of maintaining its current enthusiasm in the water. The meet will begin at 3 p.m. MDT.
