YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Duquesne swimming and diving team opened the dual portion of the 2018-19 season with a 156-144 victory over host Youngstown State on Saturday at Beeghly Natatorium.
Sophomore Emma Brinton (Landenburg, Pa./Avon Grove) earned a team-high three event wins, pacing the 100-yard freestyle (53.82), 500-yard freestyle (5:11.46) while also helping the Dukes win the 400-yard medley relay (3:56.28) along with teammates senior Abigail Stauffer (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg), freshman Audrey Steen (San Pedro, Calif./San Pedro) and junior Carson Gross (York, Pa./York Suburban).
Steen added a first-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke (59.74) in her collegiate debut.
Sophomores Cateri Christinis (Charleroi, Pa./Oakland Catholic) and Clare Flanagan (Gibsonia, Pa./Hampton) each contributed first-place marks for Duquesne in the 1000-yard freestyle (10:49.65) and the 200-yard backstroke (2:10.50), respectively.
Also making her collegiate debut for the Dukes was diver Adrienne White (Gibsonia, Pa./Hampton), who won the 3-meter dive on the day with a score of 252.43. This came after a second-place mark in the 1-meter (234.98).
Duquesne's 200-yard freestyle relay team of seniors Kristen McKnight (Gibsonia, Pa./Hampton), Emily Thirion (Warren, Ohio/Warren) and Morgan Smith (Chapel Hill, N.C./East Chapel Hill) as well as freshman Hanna Everhart (Bloomsburg, Pa./Bloomsburg Area) closed out the meet with a first-place time of 1:38.38.
Head swimming coach David Sheets: "Although the team got the win, it was an ugly start to the season for the swimmers. I was disappointed in our energy and the way some of our athletes executed their races. We've got a lot of work to do as we move forward with the season."
Head diving coach Charlie Hauser: "The Divers had a solid meet. While we still have a lot to work on everyone stepped up and I'm proud of the effort and attitude exhibited. We will continue to fine tune our dives and lists, but this was a good start to our season."
NEXT UP
Duquesne heads to Harrisonburg, Va. to take on James Madison this Thursday, Oct. 18 at 5 p.m. ET.
