Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Duquesne swimming and diving team returned to action with a split-squad weekend. The swimmers made their first appearance of the season at Towers Pool, defeating Saint Peter's, 146-103, while celebrating Alumni Weekend. Meanwhile, the divers traveled to Clarion, Pa., to compete in the Clarion Fall Invite.

At Towers Pool, the Dukes tallied 23 top-three finishes, including 10 first-place honors. The action began on Saturday with the 400 medley relay, where Duquesne claimed the top two spots. The team of sophomores Caitlin Horning, Jess Burns, Rachel Howard, and freshman Lucy Backus touched the wall first with a time of 3:56.13. Close behind, the relay of freshman Norah Kotnik, sophomore Ashley Freel, freshman Emily Krye, and sophomore Kaitlyn Connors finished second at 3:59.80.

In the 1000-yard freestyle, the Dukes swept the top three spots, led by sophomore Sierra Snow, who touched the wall first with a time of 10:27.94. Freshmen Danica Wight and Norah Kotnik claimed silver and bronze, finishing at 11:07.38 and 11:19.09, respectively.

Duquesne continued its dominance in the 200-yard freestyle, once again taking all three podium positions. Backus earned first place with a time of 1:56.67, followed by junior Julia Sobun (2:00.15) in second and Aislinn Mooney (2:02.32) in third. In the 100-yard backstroke, junior Lexi Sundgren captured gold with a time of 59.70, while senior Katie Simpson finished second at 1:01.95. The momentum carried into the 100-yard breaststroke, where Burns claimed first place at 1:07.16, followed by sophomore Surrena Luna in second at 1:08.65.

Kyre led the Dukes in the 200-yard butterfly, touching the wall first with a time of 2:13.32, while Horning secured third at 2:14.38. In the 50-yard freestyle, Connors (24.58), senior Sydney Severini (25.39), and Simpson (25.85) swept the top three spots. The 100-yard freestyle saw Sundgren claim gold at 53.95, with Sobun taking silver at 55.67.

Duquesne continued its dominance in the 200-yard backstroke, as Freel (2:04.13), Kotnik (2:08.61), and Klotz (2:12.18) earned gold, silver, and bronze, respectively. The medal haul was capped by Severini, who claimed first in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:24.16.

OFF THE BOARDS
In Clarion, all six Dukes divers competed, led by senior Ashley Felitsky, who earned a pair of medals in the one-meter and three-meter events. In the one-meter, Felitsky claimed gold with a final score of 259.20 over six dives. She was followed by sophomore Brianne Dempsey, who took silver at 245.60, and graduate student Lola Dragosavac, who captured bronze with a total of 241.15. Freshmen Grace Hedger (200.20) and Ellyn Huron (196.60), along with junior Erin Castagnero (192.00), finished fifth through seventh, respectively.

In the three-meter dive, Felitsky added a bronze medal to her performance with a score of 249.40. The Dukes also placed four through seven, as Dempsey scored 236.70 for fourth, followed by Castagnero (224.75), Dragosavac (224.25), and Huron (218.80).

QUOTABLE
"I was extremely happy with how the ladies supported each other today," head coach David Sheets said. "We were able to swim events we don't normally compete in and they still got up and raced with intent. We are in a good place but will keep getting better next week."

UP NEXT
Duquesne is idle for a week before it returns to action on Nov. 20 – Nov. 22, when it travels to Morgantown, W.Va. to compete int eh WVU Invitational.