LAS VEGAS — Despite winning seven events, BYU women’s swim and dive dropped its dual meet at UNLV 164.5-135.5 on Friday at Jim Reitz Pool at Buchanan Natatorium.
“UNLV was better than us today,” said BYU head coach Shari Skabelund. “We fought hard and had some breakthroughs in close races. I’m really proud of the way our kids stepped up and competed with heart.”
Halli Williams and Regan Geldmacher each won two events while Mackenzie Lung, Emma Marusakova and the 400 relay squad did as well.
Williams clocked a season-best 23.44 to win the 50 free by 0.26 seconds over the Rebels’ Pilar Cohen. The junior from Houston, Texas then won the 100 free at 51.42 before combining with Kara Martinson, Lily Flint and Julia Bartell to win the 400 free relay at 3:26.68.
Geldmacher mastered the distance events on Friday with wins in both 500 and 1000 free competition. Neck and neck with UNLV’s Gina Miller, Geldmacher touched the wall just 0.8 seconds ahead of Miller and won the 500 free at 4:59.05. The junior from West Richland, Washington started the day firing on all cylinders as she cut over four seconds off her entry time to win the 1000 free at 10:14.75.
Marusakova posted her third win in two meets with a top-time in the 100 fly at 55.82. Lung clocked 2:18.41 in the 200 breast to win by over two seconds.
Alexia Jackson and Brooklyn Larson took second and third, respectively in 3-meter (6 dives) diving with Larson improving by over 26 points to post a personal best 291.30. Freshman Aubryn Ordyna also added 25 points to her best and took fifth at 241.20.
After a week off, BYU returns to action with swimmers competing at the Mizzou Invitational in Columbia, Missouri Nov. 15-18 while divers do so at the SMU Invite in Dallas, Texas Nov. 16-18.