Morgantown, W.Va. – The Duquesne University swimming and diving team traveled to Morgantown, W.Va., to compete in a tri-meet against West Virginia and Villanova.

The Dukes fell to the Wildcats, 180-120, before dropping a 184-115 decision to the Mountaineers. Duquesne still turned in a strong individual showing, collecting 11 medals on the afternoon, highlighted by four first-place finishes.

Sophomore Sierra Snow captured the Dukes' first gold medal of the meet, claiming the 200-yard backstroke with a winning time of 1:56.45. She also posted a runner-up finish in the 100 backstroke, recording a personal-best time of 54.18 that met the CSCAA "B" cut standard.

In the 200-yard breaststroke, Duquesne swept the top two spots as sophomore Jess Burns touched the wall first with a personal-best time of 2:15.31. Senior Sydney Severini followed closely behind to earn silver, clocking in at 2:18.30.

Sophomore Ashley Freel kept the momentum going for the Dukes, adding a pair of individual medals to her resume. She earned a second-place finish in the 200-yard butterfly with a season-best time of 2:01.28 that also met the CSCAA "B" cut standard, before capturing another silver in the 100-yard butterfly with a season-best mark of 54.82.

Freshman Lucy Backus recorded a third-place finish in the 50 freestyle, touching the wall in a season-best time of 23.60, while sophomore Kaitlyn Connors also posted a season best at 23.78. Connors added a fourth-place finish in the 200 freestyle (1:51.70), and Backus placed fifth in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 51.78.

OFF THE BOARDS
The Dukes' diving team was also in action on Saturday, capturing a pair of medals. In the three-meter dive, senior Ashley Felitsky claimed the top spot with a final score of 266.10 over six dives. Sophomore Brianne Dempsey finished fourth with a score of 246.20, while freshman Elly Huron took fifth at 242.60.

In the one-meter dive, Dempsey earned bronze with a final score of 249.85, just ahead of Felitsky, who finished fourth at 247.80. Graduate student Lola Dragosavac rounded out the top seven with a score of 239.45.

Burns went on to finish fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:03.78, while Severini placed fifth in the same event at 1:04.34. Sophomore Rachel Howard posted a personal-best 51.89 in the 100 free and added a season-best 55.59 in the 100-yard butterfly.

Duquesne also earned a pair of bronze medals in the relay events. The 200-yard medley relay team of Snow, Severini, Howard, and freshman Emily Kyre finished third with a time of 1:43.23. The 400-yard freestyle relay closed out the swimming portion of the meet, with Connors, Backus, Snow, and Freel claiming bronze in 3:24.65.

UP NEXT
Duquesne returns to Towers Pool to celebrate Senior Day on Saturday, Jan. 31, when it hosts St. Bonaventure. The diving team will compete separately on Friday, Jan. 30, facing the Bonnies at Carnegie Mellon for the diving portion of the meet.