Wildcats Roll to Three Victories in Season Opener

10/22/2016 7:21:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving

By: Kyle Kelley

CHICAGO — Sophomore diver Olivia Rosendahl picked up where she left off, freshman Olympian Valerie Gruest Slowing made a splash in her debut and the Northwestern women's swimming and diving program rolled to three wins in its season opener Saturday at the University of Chicago.

The Wildcats defeated the host Maroon, 231.00-66.00, rolled past UIC, 231.00-69.00, and dominated Olivet Nazarene, 250.00-46.00, in the quad-dual meet.

Slowing, a 2016 Olympian for Guatemala, made a statement in her collegiate debut, running away from the competition in the 1,000 free, 200 butterly and 200 backstroke. She set a Myers-McLoraine Pool record in the 1,000 free with a time of 10:01.06, the eighth-fastest mark in Northwestern history.

The freshman also led a 1-2-3 finish in the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:04.21 in front of junior Sydney Modeas (2:08.25) and classmate Sandra Freeman (2:10.58). She closed her afternoon with a win in the 200 back, touching the wall in 2:03.76. Freshmen Nicole Aaarts (2:05.95) and Krystal Lara (2:06.19) made it a clean sweep for NU in the 200 back.

A season after becoming the first diver in program history to earn All-American honors, Rosendahl broke the 1-meter Myers-McLoraine Pool record with a score of 314.18 and scored a 308.03 on the 3-meter to claim both events.

Sophomore Eryn Scannell scored a career-high 273.75 to finish second and junior Mashal Hashem finished third to help Chicago's Big Ten sweep the 3-meter springboard.

The 'Cats also swept the 1-meter dive with sophomore Janicia Ng finishing second with a career-high 269.33 and Scannell coming in third with a 250.95.

Senior Melissa Postoll picked up a victory in the 200 free with a time of 1:52.92 and classmate Ellen Stello finished third in the event with a 1:55.14.

Senior Lacey Locke, a member of the Northwestern University Homecoming court, missed the festivities on campus, but picked up a win in the 100 backstroke in 56.85 and was a part of the 200 medley relay team that took first in 1:46.96.

The Wildcats had a strong showing in the 100-yard breaststroke with sophomore Peyton Greenberg (1:06.59) finishing second, senior Katie Branch (1:06.97) third and sophomore Lindsay Adamski (1:07.13) fourth.

Junior Mary Warren claimed the 50 free in 23.61, freshman Malorie Han won the 100 free with a time of 53.15 in her collegiate debut and Greenberg led the way in the 200 breaststroke at 2:21.53.

Senior Georgie Pettibone finished third and Postoll claimed fourth in the 200 breaststroke.

The victories continued for the 'Cats with a win by Stello in the 500 free in 4:59.91 followed by a third-place finish from Postoll in 5:08.30. The senior later led a 1-2-3 finish in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:07.74 in front of junior Maddy Sims (2:08.96) and Freeman.

Warren (57.93) and Locke (58.37) finished second and third in the 100 butterfly and the Northwestern 'B' team of senior Lacey Smith, junior Katherine Senseman, junior Aja Malone and Han won the 400 yard free relay in 3:33.81 to finish the afternoon.

The Wildcats will be back in the pool next Saturday, Oct. 29 when they host Big Ten foes Rutgers and Illinois at the Norris Aquatic Center. The meet is schedule to begin at 1 p.m.