Live streaming: Day 2
DALLAS – After going back-and-forth with Louisville on Friday night, the Auburn women's swimming and diving team pulled ahead with a victory in the final event, the 800 freestyle relay, to take the lead after Day 1 at the SMU Classic.
The Tigers scored 171 points, finishing four points ahead of Louisville (167).
"We did a really good job tonight," Auburn head coach Gary Taylor said. "I'm really excited about the performance certainly as the meet went on. We had some great swims, and we finished the meet really well. Really tough at the end."
Auburn opened the meet with a third-place finish in the 400 medley relay, and then after another third-place finish and a fifth-place finish in the two 400 IM heats, the Tigers started to find their groove in the third event of the night, the 200 freestyle.
Sophomore Emily Hetzer won the B final (1:46.67), and then freshman Abbey Webb, in her debut event for Auburn, finished first in the A final in 1:46.37.
"As a freshman to come in to your first big competition against some really quality teams and swimmers, she really stepped up and performed like a veteran tonight," Taylor said. "She got us rocking and rolling. To be honest, Emily Hetzer in that console final put in a great swim, and then Abbey backs it up and wins the event."
Next up was the 50 free, and Auburn earned two more first-place finishes. First, it was senior Julie Meynen in the B final, who swam a lifetime-best 22.05 to set the meet and pool records. Then, fellow senior Claire Fisch finished in 22.41 to win the A final.
"I can't say enough about those two senior sprinters and those leaders," Taylor said. "They were not only great in the pool, they did a fantastic job on the deck leading this team, too. That's what we're looking to cultivate and develop, and they were absolutely that tonight."
Webb made it five straight wins for Auburn in the swimming events with another first-place finish in the B final of the 100 butterfly (55.20).
The freshman also led off the 800 freestyle relay team that took first place in the final event of the night, finishing in 7:08.89. She was followed by junior Sonnele Oeztuerk and Hetzer before Meynen closed out as the team's anchor.
DIVING RECAP
Senior Alison Maillard won her first competition of the 2019-20 season as she finished first (289.50) in the 1-meter diving event Friday night.
"Really pleased with her performance, pleased with her effort," head diving coach Jeff Shaffer said. "Any time you have a competition, you get to see the things that you're doing well and the areas that you need to put a little more focus and attention to. For her, she's one of the strongest female divers in the country, we need to do a little better job finishing our dives. That will come as the season progresses."
WHAT'S NEXT
Auburn will return to the pool for the second and final day of the SMU Classic on Saturday, beginning at 11 a.m. CT. Swimming events include the 200 medley relay, the 500 free, the 200 breast, the 200 back, the 100 free, the 200 fly, the 200 IM and the 200 free relay. On the diving side, the women will compete in the 3-meter competition.
Scores (Day 1)
1. Auburn: 171
2. Louisville: 167
3. Northwestern: 155
4. Iowa: 122
5. Miami (FL): 114
6. SMU: 108