Liberty opened its 2017-18 swimming & diving season with a 159-137 win at CCSA opponent Campbell on Saturday at the Johnson Aquatic Center.
This is the fourth year in a row that Liberty (1-0) has defeated Campbell (0-1) in its season opener. The Lady Flames are now 10-2 all-time against the Camels. Campbell will compete at Liberty on Dec. 1-2, in the first-ever meet at Liberty Natatorium
Saturday’s meet saw both teams win eight events. Six different Lady Flames (Lindsey Cohee, Kiah Francis, Ricki Lee Hodges, Rachel Hoeve, Payton Keiner and Ashlee Sall) earned one event win apiece. The two teams split the four relays contested.
Liberty won the meet-opening 200 medley relay, as the quartet of Hoeve, Hodges, Brittany Weiss and Colleen Donlin swam 1:44.78 for the victory.
Campbell’s Geena Squartino edged Liberty’s Emily Manly at the wall by 0.52 seconds in the 1000, with Squartino winning in 10:37.62 and Manly following in 10:38.14. Manly’s 1000 free ranks 10th on the program’s all-time top performers list in the event.
Sindija Silina of Campbell took the 200 free in 1:54.74, while Keiner finished second in 1:55.57 and Sall placed third with a time of 1:56.35.
Kamaria Mahone then led a 1-2 Campbell finish in the 100 back, touching the wall first in 59.26. Liberty’s Danielle Boothe placed third in 59.79.
Hodges gave Liberty its first individual event win, edging out Campbell’s Taylor McMinn, 1:06.29 to 1:06.81, to win the 100 breaststroke. Liberty’s Francis placed third with a 1:07.78 clocking.
Cohee, in her first career individual race for Liberty, claimed the 200 fly in 2:06.59, one second ahead of Lady Flames program record holder Alicia Finnigan (2:07.59), who took second. Cohee’s time ranks her seventh among all performers in the event in program history.
Hoeve touched the wall in 24.15 in the 50 free, winning the event for the seventh straight time in dual-meet action, dating back to last season. Liberty teammate Weiss swam 24.40 for second.
Campbell won the 400 medley relay in 3:57.08, while Liberty’s Boothe, Hodges, Finnigan and Chelsea Pond placed second in 4:00.34.
Campbell’s Michelle Case clocked a winning 100 free time of 52.45, with Hoeve (53.06) and Pond (54.09) following in second and third, respectively, for Liberty.
Keiner pocketed the 200 backstroke victory, as her winning time, 2:05.20, places her 10th on Liberty’s all-time top 10 performers list. Manly clocked a 2:11.12 to earn second place.
McMinn won the 200 breaststroke in 2:24.06 for Campbell, while Lady Flames Morgan Noonan (2:26.05) and Francis (2:26.25) took the next two spots.
Liberty’s Sall led a 1-2-3 Liberty sweep in the 500 free, winning in 5:11.59. Elizabeth Magnusson swam 5:15.11 for second, while Manly’s 5:15.97 was good for third.
Finnigan (58.04) placed third in the 100 fly, behind Camels Caroline Clark (57.47) and Maddie Baiotto (57.93).
The Camels narrowly defeated Liberty, 3:31.24 to 3:31.45, in the 400 free relay.
Francis then picked up her first career event victory as a Lady Flame, clocking 2:08.46 to win the 200 IM. Finnigan placed second at 2:09.97.
The Lady Flames claimed the meet-ending 200 free relay in 1:35.13, as Hoeve, Weiss, Donlin and Hannah Baker combined for the victory.
Following Saturday’s meet, Liberty will travel to Kansas for the first time in program history, taking on the Kansas Jayhawks, next Friday and Saturday in Lawrence, Kan. The two-day meet will begin at 6 p.m. ET on Friday at Robinson Natatorium, before Saturday’s noon ET session wraps up the event.
Press release courtesy of Liberty University Athletics.
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