Rams Get Out to Strong Start in Quad Dual

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Nov 7

5:00 PM

Women's Swimming & Diving

at Washington State

Nov 8

11:30 AM

Women's Swimming & Diving

at Idaho

Nov 19

All Day

Women's Swimming & Diving

at Phill Hansel Invitational

Nov 20

All Day

Women's Swimming & Diving

at Phill Hansel Invitational

Nov 21

All Day

Women's Swimming & Diving

at Phill Hansel Invitational

AIR FORCE ACADEMY – Set up with three duals scored out over two days, it's best not to waste time.

Colorado State's women's swimming and diving team didn't Friday, picking up wins in the first four events of the day and taking first in six of the eight swimming events at the Air Force Academy Natatorium. But a tough finish has them in a dogfight with the hosts, a wake-up call of sorts in the eyes of coach Christopher Woodard.

The Rams, while building sizeable margins against Seattle and New Mexico, were passed by the Falcons (85-82) later in the day with a couple of 1-2 finishes in races.

"The back half was a little rough for us," Woodard said. "I think the thing we're doing really well is getting out to leads in races, which is really encouraging. I think we're definitely dealing with fatigue in the back half which is expected. The question is can we still execute race plans and not get away from it."

CSU's quad of Tess Whineray, Skyler Lyon, Rylee O'Neil and Lexie Trietley started the winning pattern by taking the 200-yard medley relay in a time of 1:43.72. The day concluded with a victory in the 400 free relay as Whineray and Trietley were joined by Erin Dawson and Ashlyn Hembree to clock in at 3:28.84.

Whineray and Trietley would post victories individually later in the session, starting with Trietley's 50.99 to take top honors in the 100 freestyle. An event later, Whineray posted a 2:03.80 to pace the 200 backstroke field.

For Trietley, the meet was a bit of a rebound. The junior was sick while the team was in San Diego, which was reflected in her times. Friday, she came back with a vengeance.

"Lexie was a standout today. She had a great end to her 200 medley relay, then popped off the 50.99 to win her race," Woodard said. "For her, it's so much mindset. I don't encourage swimmers to ever swim angry. It's a short-turn gain and a long-term loss, but Lexie, when she swims with a chip on her shoulder really nails it. She is the exception to the rule. I like angry Lexie."

Maya White led the way in the 500 freestyle with her 5:09.91, but the biggest surge on the scoreboard for Colorado State came in the first individual event of the day, the 400 individual medley.

Erin Dawson triggered a 1-2-3 finish for the team with her 4:32.36, followed closely by Maisy Barbosa at 4:25.75. White completed the trifecta with her 4:41.36. It was the type of result which gets a team out to a big start, but Woodard told him team it should prove to them what happened the second half should not occur.

"First and foremost, we had control of the meet. We had a couple of bad performances, and we took it on the chin with a couple of 1-2s against us. That cannot happen. I don't care who you are. I don't think there's a team in the conference that should go 1-2 against us in any event. Our top dogs, they're challenged. They need to get in there, then our kids who are second in line have to get those thirds, fourths and fifths. No excuses.

"I'm confident. I think it was a shock to them to look up at the board because they thought they were in control. We kind of neglected the last couple of events and it put us out of range."

Saturday's competition starts at 11 a.m.

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- STALWART -

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