The LSU Tigers kicked off their 2014-2015 season at the Natatorium with Purple pitted against Gold in their annual Intrasquad Meet.
With repeat top performances from the returning Tiger squad, plus a few freshmen upsets, Purple out-scored Gold 147 to 124 with wins in 17 of 28 events, running the purple team’s winning run to 5 out of the last 6 years.
Previous NCAA qualifiers Caley Oquist and Amber Carter helped propel the Purple 200 Medley Team to a first-place finish. Senior Amber Carter went on to win two individual events, the 50 free (23.25) and 100 fly (53.95), for the Purple.
That 50 free win had her beating out sophomore Leah Troskot of gold for the win. While Troskot was only 24.13 in that individual, she split 23.0 on the medley relay.
Later in the meet, Oquist, who is becoming a star of this team, was actually upset in the 100 backstroke: an event where she’s the school record holder. Her teammate Kaitlin Sepp (who swam anchor on the medley relay, splitting 23.69) won the 100 back, swimming a 55.86 to Oquist’s 55.95.
The first individual event of the meet opened with a high-energy finish, as Purple’s Jessica James out-touched Gold’s Jane MacDougall in the 1000 free by just .03 seconds.
Sophomore Brandon Goldman brought home two firsts for Purple. One was in the 200 Fly (1:52.09) ahead of two-time NCAA Honorable Mention Senior Frank Greeff, while the other was in the 200 Back (1:51.43), ahead of Gold’s Daniel Swietlicki.
LSU 200 Fly Record Holder Kara Kopcso held off Gold’s Sophia Weber for a sub-two-minute win in the event (1:59.51), and scored another win for Purple in the 200 IM (2:03.35).
Freshman Madison Sthamann and Junior First Team-All American Cassie Weil held off Gold’s Alex Bettridge for a near one-two sweep of the diving events for Purple.
On the men’s side, freshmen Damen Pheiffer and Joao Mescolote claimed wins in their first collegiate meet for Purple. Pheiffer took the 200 Free (1:42.54), while Mescolote touched first in the 50 Free (21.08).
2014 Commonwealth Games backstroker Danielle Stirrat picked up a win for Gold in the 200 Back (1:59.13), followed by Purple’s Kaitlin Sepp (2:00.85).
Gold teammates Swiettlicki and Greeff put together a one-two 200 IM finish in the final individual event of the meet.
We’ll get to see the Lady Tigers work together on their first duel meet of the season October 3rd against Tulane at Riley Natatorium.