ATLANTA – The Delta State University women's swimming and diving team fell to Georgia Tech, 201-90, Saturday at the McAuley Aquatic Center. Highlighted by freshman
Lucia Martelli's school record performance in the 100-yard butterfly and two individual event wins, the Lady Statesmen captured 14 top-three finishes against the NCAA Division I Yellow Jackets.
OFF THE STARTING BLOCKS:
- Opponent: Georgia Tech
- Date | Time: Oct. 28, 2017 | 11 a.m. ET
- Location: McAuley Aquatic Center
- Final: GT 201 | DSU 90
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Clocking a 55.20, Lucia Martelli swam the fastest 100-yard butterfly in Delta State school history. The freshman went out fast, turning at 26.16 for the first 50, before coming back in 29.04 to win the event for the Lady Statesmen. Already the Division II leader in the 100 fly, Martelli improved on her previous best of 55.66 from the season-opener against Alabama. Perhaps most impressively, she did it after winning the 200 butterfly (2:06.19) earlier in the meet and finishing runner-up in the 100 backstroke (56.83).
- Junior Celina Batsel led the way for the Lady Statesmen sprinting corps against the Yellow Jackets, swimming a season-best time of 52.79 to finish third in the 100-yard freestyle. She added a second place in the 200 free (1:53.62) and was fourth in the 50 free (24.89).
- Caroline Jouisse made the most of her first opportunity to swim the 1650-yard freestyle this season, turning in a 17:50.51. As of early Saturday, the junior's time ranks third fastest in Division II. She was also runner-up in the 500 free (5:12.75) and fourth in the 400 individual medley (4:52.95) later in the meet.
- On the boards, senior Hailey Leonard and sophomore Casey Moore finished second and third in the 1-meter competition; freshman Sara Andrews led the Lady Statesmen in the 3-meter event with her fourth-place finish.
- Other top-three individual event finishers for Delta State included sophomores Sierra Rhodes (500 free), Shelby Cox (100 fly), and Maddie Woody (400 IM), along with freshman Chelsea Borrowdale (400 IM).
UP NEXT: The Lady Statesmen travel to Arkadelphia, Arkansas, for the rare double-header Friday, November 10. The squad will face Ouachita Baptist in the morning, before competing against Henderson State that evening.
