The Seattle University women’s swim team answered the challenge of a meet at altitude, defeating both South Dakota, 133-103, and Northern Colorado, 128-108, Friday evening in a collegiate competition hosted by the U.S. Air Force Academy at the Cadet Natatorium.
The Redhawks got off to a great start by winning the opening event of the meet, as Kaitlyn Overstreet (Cottonwood Heights, Utah), Annika Perry (Reno, Nev.), Jane Liggett (Portland, Ore.), and Blaise Wittenauer-Lee (Portland, Ore.) finished first in the 400 medley relay with a time of 3:56.86. That is the ninth-fastest time on the Seattle U all-time top times list and the third mark from this season in the event to move into the top 10.
Paige Treff (Orland, Calif.) picked up Seattle U’s first individual win of the night, posting the fastest time in the 50 freestyle at 24.50 seconds. Wittenauer-Lee followed that with a close-to-four second victory in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:07.91.
After the first of two diving events in which both South Dakota and Northern Colorado would gain 16 points each time on Seattle U, Overstreet finished second in the 200 butterfly at 2:10.07, less than 2/10ths of a second behind the event winner. Treff would earn a solid third-place finish in the 100 freestyle in 53.83 seconds.
Madi Lydig (Spokane, Wash.) dominated the 200 backstroke, winning that event by over five seconds with a time of 2:07.38. After the second diving event, Wittenauer-Lee cruised to a convincing win in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:19.44, over 10 seconds in front of her nearest competitor.
In the final event of the meet, the 200 freestyle relay, the quartet of Treff, Kelly Hartman (East Wenatchee, Wash.), Sidney Pinger (Tualatin, Ore.), and Maddie Dickman (Sacramento, Calif.) finished second with a time of 1:38.90. The Redhawks would go 2-1 in the competition, as the host Falcons earned a 134-98 victory.
“We had some great swims tonight, and it was exciting to see different people perform well,” Seattle U head coach Craig Nisgor said. “Blaise just crushed her events tonight, starting with her split in the opening relay and continuing with the wins in the IM and breaststroke. Madi and Paige were also great in their victories. It was a good first day, and hopefully we can keep it going tomorrow.”
Seattle University (9-4) will face the same three teams in the same pool Saturday, Jan. 16, starting at 11 a.m. local time (10 a.m. Pacific time).