The men and women of Wyoming headed to the mile high city to compete in their first dual meet of the 2014 season, swimming the Pioneers of DU at El Pomar Natotorium on Saturday afternoon. When the two teams met earlier this year at Denver relays, it was the Pokes who were crowned victorious. The tables were turned in the new year with the men and women of DU claiming victories by over 40 points each.
DU came flying out of the gate, posting two new pool records in the women and men’s 400 medley relays. The team of Sam Corea, Amanda Sanders, Drew Matthews, and Johana Roas crushed the previous pool record by three seconds, winning in a time of 3:45.61. Kyle Milberg, Tanner Krall, Patrick Guillory, and Kyle Robrock also scored a pool record in a time of 3:19.69.
Bridgette McNally, Corea, Roas, and Sanders paced the women of DU, all of them picking up double first place finishes. McNally showed her strength winning the 200 back (2:03.96) and 400 IM (4:26.91). Corea stuck to the sprint strokes and claimed wins in the 100 fly (55.54) and 100 backstroke (55.18) while Sanders displayed her dominance in the breaststroke, winning the 100 (1:04.24) and 200 (2:19.38). Roas sprinted her way to wins in the 50 (23.85) and 100 free (51.09)
Other notable first place finishes for the Lady pioneers included Clara Jenk’s 1000 free (10:29.20), Matthews’ 200 free (1:52.10), and Morgan Mullinex’s 500 free (5:03.27).
The men of DU were led by Milberg and Dylan Bunch, both posting three individual wins. Milberg dominated his way through the 100 back (49.58), 200 back (1:48.63), and the 100 fly (49.76) while Bunch was lights out in the freestyle, posting wins in the 200 (1:40.46), 500 (4:32.91), and 1000 (9:34.97).
Krall tallied two wins, swimming a 56.75 in the 100 breast and a 2:04.66 in the 200 breast. Andrew Torres added his name to the record book, posting a new pool record in the 200 fly in a time of 1:48.79.
The University of Wyoming hung around with impressive depth on the boards going 1-2 in the women’s 1 and 3 meter and getting an individual win from Derek Campbell on the men’s 3 meter. Kari Campbell and Amanda Fay went 1-2 on the 1 meter and then flip flopped on the 3 meter, both setting new pool records in the process.
The Cowboys were able to garner two first place finishes with wins in the 400 IM from Ryan Nelson (3:59.75) and in the 100 free from Adam Kalms (45.26). Kalms was also able to help secure a victory in the 200 free relay (1:22.78) alongside Ethan Griffel, Bryce Carter, and Ryan O’Leary.
The women of Wyoming were able to scrape out a few first place victories in the pool from Claudia Carlson and the 200 free relay squad. Carlson touched the wall first in the 200 fly in a time of 2:05.92 while the relay team of Morgan Hartigan, Melanie McDonough, Abby Sullivan, and Emily Ridout claimed first in a time of 1:34.40.
Both teams return to action next week with the Cowgirls heading back to Colorado to face CSU while the Pioneer men take on UNLV and the Pioneer women face Boise State.
FINAL TEAM SCORES:
Men
DU-173.5
Wyoming-126.5
Women
DU-173
Wyoming-127