GENEVA, Ohio - The Duquesne swimming and diving team competed at the 2018 Atlantic 10 Classic on Saturday and Sunday at the SPIRE Institute, recording a 3-1 mark with wins over La Salle (232-120), Saint Louis (219-133) and St. Bonaventure (208-144), while George Mason edged the Dukes by a score of 179.5-171.5.

Duquesne moves to 5-3 in dual action on the 2018-19 campaign.

The Dukes bested all teams in a pair of relays on the weekend, including the 400-yard medley team (3:54.52) with Emma Brinton (Landenberg, Pa. / Avon Grove), Abigail Stauffer (Chambersburg, Pa. / Chambersburg), Audrey Steen (San Pedro, Calif. / San Pedro), Carson Gross (York, Pa. / York Suburban) as well as the 200-yard medley team (1:46.43) of Steen, Stauffer, Kristen McKnight (Gibsonia, Pa. / Hampton) and Morgan Smith (Chapel Hill, N.C. / East Chapel Hill).  

In addition, the 200-yard medley relay team (1:38.38) of McKnight, Emily Thirion (Warren, Ohio / Warren), Gross and Smith topped Saint Louis, Saint Bonaventure and La Salle in the event.

Brinton won the 200-yard IM with a time of 2:06.90 and defeated La Salle, Saint Louis and St. Bonaventure in the 100-yard freestyle (53.54).

Steen paced the 100-yard butterfly with a mark of 57.42 for Duquesne.

Stauffer added wins over George Mason, La Salle and Saint Louis in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:05.18) and the 200-yard breaststroke (2:26.40) for the Dukes.

Smith defeated George Mason, La Salle and St. Bonaventure in the 200-yard butterfly (2:08.89) while Sophia Perez (Chapel Hill, N.C. / East Chapel Hill) bested La Salle, Saint Louis and St. Bonaventure in the 200-yard backstroke (2:08.47) for Duquesne.


FINAL SCORES
Duquesne 232, La Salle 120
Duquesne 219, Saint Louis 133
Duquesne 208, St. Bonaventure 144
George Mason 179.5, Duquesne 171.5

Head coach David Sheets: "We are continuing to search for our identity as a program.  With all the new faces it is a learning curve for everyone.  We are trying different line-ups, shifting people into uncomfortable events and allowing them to learn from it.  The most important thing we have been talking about is not the wins or losses but focusing on the process of getting better.  I think the ladies are doing an excellent job of that and we are continuing to grow as a group and as individuals."

Head diving coach Charlie Hauser: "The main takeaway from this weekend I think is that we now know what we need to work on. This meet was a good practice for A-10s, being at the conference pool and against the teams we will see there. While the places and scores may not have been ideal, I think if we use the next few weeks to focus on practice and the things we take for granted in our dives we will be more successful at the next competition."

NEXT UP
Duquesne has the next two weekends off before traveling to Cleveland, Ohio for the 2018 Magnus Cup on Friday, Nov. 16 through Sunday, Nov. 18.