LYNCHBURG, Va. – On a night in which Liberty honored its seven swimming & diving seniors, the Lady Flames seniors led the way to a 162-107 win over Campbell, Friday at LaHaye Aquatics Center.
For the meet, Liberty won 13 out of 15 events, including both relays. Additionally, Liberty set the pool record in the 400 free relay while Kendall Hough set the facility record in the 100 IM and Alicia Finnigan broke the pool’s 200 fly record.
Liberty (7-5, 4-1 CCSA) extended its home winning streak to six meets, while posting its seventh straight head-to-head win over Campbell (5-5, 4-3).
Liberty honored seniors Natalie Beale, Courtney Fox, Ranndi Grubbs, Kendall Hough, Madi Long, Kristin VanDeventer and Hannah Wakeley with a pre-meet ceremony.
Finnigan (1000 free, 200 fly), Hough (100 IM, 50 free) and Prudence Rooker (100 back, 200 IM) won two events apiece for Liberty. Michelle Case won the 100 free and 200 free for Campbell’s two event victories on the evening. Liberty’s Anna Dickinson (100 breaststroke), Grubbs (100 fly), Morgan Noonan (200 breaststroke), Victoria Tschoke (200 back) and VanDeventer (500 free) posted one win apiece.
The Lady Flames’ senior quartet of Hough, Grubbs, VanDeventer and Beale won the meet-opening 200 medley relay in 1:48.87.
To close the meet, Hough, Grubbs, VanDeventer and Beale later broke Liberty’s pool record in 3:31.94 to win the 400 free relay.
Finnigan earned a victory in the first individual event, clocking 10:41.59 in the 100 free. She later swam a pool-record 2:05.89 to win the 200 fly. Wakeley finished second in the 200 fly in a season-best 2:06.81.
Hough turned in a 58.71 during the first 100 IM ever contested at LaHaye Aquatics Center, while Tschoke claimed runner-up mention in 1:00.65. Later in the meet, Hough led a 1-2-3 Liberty sweep of the 50 free, winning in 24.14. Rachel Hoeve (24.42) and Chelsea Pond (24.67) placed second and third, respectively.
Rooker touched first in a season-best 58.46 during the 100 back, while Danielle Boothe finished next with a time of 59.69. Rooker swam 2:08.62, the top 200 IM finish of the night, followed in order by teammates Tschoke (2:11.86) and Dickinson (2:13.22).
Dickinson took home her first career event victory, swimming 1:07.49 for first place in the 100 breaststroke. Noonan placed third in 1:09.26.
Tschoke clocked a winning 200 back time of 2:05.23, outdistancing the second-place finisher by over three seconds. Rooker (2:10.24) earned third place.
Noonan’s 2:24.98 gave her the 200 breaststroke win, while Dickinson (2:25.18) took runner-up honors.
Seniors VanDeventer and Wakeley led a 1-2-3 Liberty sweep of the 500 free, as VanDeventer won in 5:05.39 while Wakeley followed in 5:10.97. Ashlee Sall swam 5:13.32 for third place.
Grubbs won the 100 fly in 58.47, her first event victory of the season, while Beale placed third in 59.37.
Michelle Case swam 1:54.36 to win the 200 free for Campbell, while Liberty’s Beale (1:55.34) and Shelby Black (season-best 1:55.66) finished second and third, respectively. Case edged out Pond, 53.13 to 53.24, for the 100 free victory. Sall earned third place with a 53.71 clocking.
The Lady Flames remain home for the next two days, hosting UNC Asheville for a combined dual meet tomorrow and Sunday. Tomorrow’s action begins at 5 p.m. at LaHaye Aquatics Center, while Liberty and UNC Asheville conclude their meet on Sunday atnoon.
Swimming news courtesy of Liberty Swimming & Diving.