Duke Women Start Strong with Relay Record
The Duke Blue Devils women’s swim team kicked off a two-day dual meet with an impressive performance, clinching victory and setting a new 400m medley relay record. The team, consisting of Ali Pfaff (52.11), Kaelyn Gridley (57.82), Aleyna Ozkan (52.41), and Tatum Wall (48.12), dominated the preliminaries with a remarkable time of 3:30.46, meeting the NCAA “A” standard. Despite the absence of star swimmer Sarah Foley, the team finished just a second and a half shy of last year’s national championship time. This performance marks the second-fastest time nationwide this year, only behind Texas. The “A” standard allows Duke to send their “B” relay team to the NCAA, which currently includes only their 200m medley relay.
Outstanding Individual Performances
Tatum Wall and Kaelyn Gridley continued to excel with individual victories. Wall claimed titles in the freestyle sprints, recording times of 22.07 in the 50m and 48.70 in the 100m. Gridley excelled in breaststroke, winning with times of 59.24 in the 100m and 2:09.36 in the 200m. The top scorer for Duke was sophomore Molly Donlan, who finished strong in the backstroke, clocking 53.94 in the 100m and 1:56.15 in the 200m. Donlan also earned fourth place in the 100m butterfly, where Northwestern’s Nikki Venema took the win with a time of 53.42.
Northwestern Men’s Success in the Meet
On the men’s side, Northwestern also delivered a strong performance, highlighted by two victories from freshman swimmers. Zoe Nordmann took the title in the 500m freestyle with a time of 4:47.61, while Luiza Lima dominated the distance race with a time of 16:39.95. These performances contributed to Northwestern’s overall success in the meet.
Duke’s Dominance in Diving
Alongside swimming victories, Duke’s Margo O’Meara captured wins in both the 1m and 3m diving events, showcasing the depth of the team’s talent. This dual meet marked the first competitive encounter between the women’s teams from Duke and Northwestern, adding an exciting chapter to both programs’ histories.
Season Overview and Upcoming Competitions
This meet handed Northwestern their first loss of the season after two consecutive wins, bringing their record to 2-1. Duke, on the other hand, improved to 2-1 with this victory, setting a positive tone as the season progresses. Both teams will return to competition in a few weeks at the NC State Invitational in Greensboro, providing another opportunity to showcase their skills and build on their current successes.
Exciting Dual Meet Experience Between Two Teams
The dual encounter between Duke and Northwestern was a thrilling event, highlighting the talent and competitive spirit of both teams. With impressive relay records and standout individual performances, the athletes are gearing up for an exciting season ahead. Fans can look forward to more captivating contests as these teams continue to compete for top positions in collegiate swimming.
