Oct. 5, 2001
Notre Dame, Ind. – The Notre Dame women’s swimming team opened the 2001-02 season with a 223-77 dual-meet victory over the University of Pittsburgh at Rolfs Aquatic Center. Notre Dame improves to 1-0 on the season, while Pittsburgh falls to 0-1.
Senior Carrie Nixon won four races, while senior Kelly Hecking took three races leading the Irish. Nixon placed first in the 50 freestyle (23.52) and the 100 freestyle and swam on the winning 200 medley and 200 freestyle relay teams. Hecking also was a member of the two first-place relay teams, while claiming the title in the 100 backstroke.
On the day, Notre Dame won 14 of the 16 events, finishing second in the 100 breaststroke and the 500 freestyle. Freshman Brooke Taylor claimed first in her first collegiate race, taking the 1,000-yard freestyle in 10:23.51. Other winners for the Irish included sophomore Lisa Garcia in the 200 freestyle (1:53.77), junior Amy Deger in the 200 butterfly (2:06.62), freshman Kristen Peterson in the 200 backstroke (2:03.20), sophomore Laurie Musgrave in the 200 breaststroke (2:21.36), sophomore Lisa D’Olier in the 100 butterfly (56.83) and sophomore Marie Labosky in the 200 individual medley (2:06.51).
The 200 medley relay team of Hecking, senior Allison Lloyd, Nixon and freshman Katie Eckholt started the meet with a victory for the Irish, winning in a time of 1:46.17. Eckholt, Nixon, sophomore Danielle Hulick, and Hecking then closed the meet with a victory in the 200 free relay in a time of 1:35.63.
Notre Dame also claimed the diving events as sophomore Meghan Perry-Eaton won the one-meter board with 280.80 points. Pittsburgh’s Jen O’Brien (276.37) was second, followed by Notre Dame senior Heather Mattingly (276.00). Mattingly came back to win the three-meter board with 296.25 points, just edging Perry-Eaton’s 293.32 points.
The Irish are next in action later this evening as they compete in the Notre Dame Relays. Meet time is 6:30 p.m. at the Rolfs Aquatic Center.