The Gustavus women’s swimming and diving team swam to a first place finish of five teams at the St. Kate’s Mini Invite on Friday night in St. Paul. The Gusties tallied 805 points, while St. Catherine finished second with 709 and Macalester rounded out the top three in third with 368. Gustavus registered six event wins and 18 top-three finishes at the meet.
Melissa Aune was the top Gustavus swimmer with two individual event wins. Aune dominated the distance events, taking both the 1000 and 500 freestyle races with times of 11:28.12 and 5:52.43, respectively.
Other individual swimming event wins came from Abby Lyle, Mary Jo Behr, and Serena Elthon. Lyle won the 200 breaststroke (2:40.73) and took third in the 100 breaststroke (1:14.88). Behr also added a first and third place finish, winning the 100 butterfly (2:29.56) and placing third in the 200 IM (2:25.15). Serena Elthon contributed a win in the 100 freestyle with a time of 56.22.
Jill Rykken and Emma Nelson each added a second and third place result. Rykken was runner-up in the 1000 freestyle (11:56.82) and third in the 500 freestyle (5:53.90), while Nelson took second in the 500 freestyle (5:52.43) and third in the 200 freestyle (2:13.03).
Marnie Luke tallied a second place finish in the 200 IM with a time of 2:22.45, as Nicole Hansen also took second in the 200 freestyle (2:11.06).
Gustavus’s top diver Haley Totzke won the one-meter diving with a score of 173.80, while placing runner-up in the three-meter with a score of 165.43.
The Gustavus relay teams added second place finishes in both the 400 medley relay (4:24.16) and the 200 free relay (1:45.49).
The Gustavus women’s swimming and diving team will be back in the pool on Saturday, Nov. 13 at 1:00 p.m. for a dual with St. Olaf.