Senior Megan Cox and junior Kara Kopcso won two individual events to lead the LSU women’s swimming and diving team (1-0) to a 210-86 victory over Tulane (0-1) Friday night at the LSU Natatorium.
“This was a great first meet for our women. They came out and were competitive and aggressive,” assistant coach Jeana Kempe said. “Our freshmen also really shined tonight in their first dual meet as Lady Tigers.”
Cox took first in the 100 free with a time of 50.55 and the 200 fly with a time of 2:02.70. Cox was also a part of the 200 freestyle relay that finished first with a time of 1:34.95. The relay featured Danielle Stirrat, Caley Oquist and Leah Troskot.
Kopcso once again shined for the Lady Tigers with a first-place finish in the 200 free (1:48.36). The Mandeville, Louisiana native ended the meet with a victory in the 200 IM with a time of 2:01.14.
Five LSU divers earned the zone qualifying scores to open the season. LSU swept the springboard events with victories by Allie Alter on one-meter (282.30) and Cassie Weil on three-meter (351.23).
Freshman Rileigh Knox earned a second-place finish on three-meter (294.53) and Alter also finished third (290.40). Weil (281.70) and Madison Sthamann (271.65) added second and third place finishes on one-meter.
“I’m really happy that we achieved the competitive goals that we set before the meet,” LSU diving coach Doug Shaffer said. “We were successful on all boards and to get those zone qualifying scores was huge. We performed really well for the first meet of the season.”
The freshmen made an immediate impact on the swimming side against the Green Wave. Haylee Knight earned her first collegiate victory in the 100 back with a time of 56.19. Knight also added a third-place finish in the 100 free with a time of 51.52.
Summer Spradley finished second in the 100 breast with a time of 1:03.91. The freshman was also a part of the 200-medley relay team of Knight, MacKenzie and Kate Zimmer that finished second with a time of 1:43.79.
Junior Devon Dabney, the school record holder in the 500 free, finished first in the event with a time of 4:54.75. Dabney also finished second in the 200 free (1:51.44). Stirrat also took first in the 200 back (2:00.47) and second in the 100 back (56.49).
Colleen O’Neil took first in the 100 breast with a time of 1:02.40. Senior Taryn MacKenzie also had a nice showing with a first-place finish in the 200 breast with a time of 2:21.38.
Jane MacDougall started the meet with a win in the 1000 free (10:24.76). Troskot also earned a win for the Lady Tigers in the 50 free (23.74) and a second-place finish in the 100 free (51.40).
The LSU Swimming and Diving team returns to the pool Oct. 30-31. The Tigers travel to Arizona to take on Northern Arizona and Wyoming at the Wall Aquatic Center.
