Navy vs James Madison (Women)
- Saturday, January 21, 2023
- Harrisonburg, Va.
- SCY (25 yards)
- Results
- Team Score: Navy 151, JMU 149
Courtesy: Navy Sports
HARRISONBURG, Va. — A second-place finish in the meet-closing 200 freestyle relay allowed the Navy women’s swimming and diving team (8-3) to edge James Madison (5-3), 151-149, Saturday afternoon at Savage Natatorium in Harrisonburg, Va.
The meet featured five lead changes and the Mids going 1-2-3 in four events and the Dukes doing so in three events.
“What a meet!” said Navy women’s swimming head coach John Morrison. “I am super proud of the team. Swimming at James Madison is never an easy environment to compete in. James Madison had a great performance today.”
James Madison won the 200 medley relay and 1000 free to take an early 23-13 lead. Navy answered with Cameron Horner (Jr., Hebron, Md.) leading a 1-2-3 finish for Navy in the 200 free (1:52.46). The 29-26 lead for the Mids didn’t last long as JMU matched that showing in the 100 back to regain a 42-32 lead. Back came the Mids with a 1-2-3 finish in the 100 breast — Reagan Johnson (Sr., Charlotte, N.C.) won the event (1:04.93) — to make the score 48-45 in favor of Navy.
Another Navy win in the next event — Caroline Irwin (So., Buford, Ga.) won the 200 fly (2:04.04) — made it a 60-52 advantage. However, the Dukes won the next three events to build a 95-74 advantage.
The Mids would win each of the next four events to take a 132-113 lead. Gabi Baldwin (Jr., Lake Elms, Minn.) won the 200 back (2:02.85), Lauren Walsh (Fr., Shelton, Conn.) led a 1-2-3 Navy finish in the 200 breast (2:17.97), Horner helped the Mids sweep the top-three placings in the 500 free (5:08.34) and Irwin won the 100 fly (56.42).
James Madison climbed right back into the meet by placing first, second and third in the one-meter diving event and closing to within 135-129. Walsh won the final individual event of the meet, the 200 IM (2:03.92), to make the score 147-136 heading into the 200 freestyle relay.
The Mids needed to either win or place second in the race to secure the win. A third-place finish by Navy would give the victory to James Madison.
Navy was in third place after 50 yards (23.54 to 23.44 to 23.88, respectively), and remained in that position after 100 yards (1:12.01 to 1:12.47 to 1:12.51). Catherine Weaverling (So., Glen Mills, Pa.) had a great third leg as her effort of 23.40 ranked second in the field and allowed the Mids to move into second place (1:35.19 to 1:35.91 to 1:36.22). Hannah Pratt (Jr., Fishers, Ind.) was able to maintain that position during her anchor leg to secure the second-place finish and points. JMU won the race in a time of 1:35.19, Navy placed second with a 1:35.91 and the Dukes finished in third place with a 1:36.22.
“Our team was incredible,” said Morrison. “They displayed the determination and grit needed after trailing by 21 points with seven events left, then taking the lead and needing a great relay to win the meet. It was an entire team effort from start to finish.”
Navy will close its regular season Friday when it plays host to Richmond, then will compete in the Bucknell Invitational Jan. 28 to start the championship portion of its schedule.
Courtesy: JMU Sports
HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison swimming and diving’s final home meet of the season came down to the final race, as Navy snuck past the Dukes by a 151-149 margin on Saturday afternoon at Savage Natatorium.
Navy improved to 8-3 on the year, while the Dukes fell to 5-3.
It was also the final home meet for JMU’s 2023 seniors – Isabel Anbar, Sarah Gaudet, Lindsey Hammar, Alaina Park, Felicity Ryan, Karen Siddoway and Devan Taylor.
JMU collected eight wins, eight runner-up finishes and seven third-place showings. That including taking the top-three places in three events. Navy swept the podium in four events, claiming eight event wins.
The Dukes opened the day taking first in the 200 medley relay, as the team of Cameron Gring, Taylor, Madison Cottrell and Jordyn Schnell finished with a time of 1:43.90, just over a second ahead of Navy’s top squad.
In the 1,000 freestyle, Abby Maguire took the win with a mark of 10:30.40, besting Navy’s Sarah Eldridge by over three seconds. Riley Nugent also took third in 10:35.93.
After Navy swept the top-three spots in the 200 free, JMU answered with the top-three finishers in the 100 backstroke, as Cottrell (56.08), Gring (56.40) and Lauren Aylmer (57.68) turned in top times.
Navy once again swept the top three in the 100 breaststroke and took first and third in the 200 butterfly, with JMU’s Jess Pryne taking runner-up in 2:05.31 in latter event.
The Dukes dominated the 50 free, as Schnell took first place (23.97), followed by Jamie Cornwell in second (24.15) and Alex Volk (24.16). JMU also finished first in second in the three-meter diving event, as it was paced by Alexa Holloway’s 297.38 and Lexi Lehman’s 282.98.
Schnell took first once again, this time in the 100 free with a time of 52.04, while Navy was just tenths of a second back to claim second and third. JMU also placed second in third in the 200 back, as Cottrell was runner-up (2:04.13) and Aylmer was third (2:04.49).
Navy vaulted into the lead by winning the next three events. They swept the podium in both the 200 breast and 500 free while taking first and second in the 100 fly. JMU’s Gring rounded out the top three in the fly with her time of 57.92.
In the one-meter diving event, JMU got back in it with the top-three finishers. Maddie Yager won the event with a score of 279.53. Following her in second and third were Ryan (248.93) and Hammar (247.65).
A pool record was set in the 200 individual medley, as Navy’s Lauren Walsh set a Savage Natatorium record of 2:03.92, besting the previous record of 2:04.55. Pryne also bested the previous mark with her time of 2:04.09 to grab second place, while Grace Bousum was third in 2:08.83.
JMU needed the top-two spots in the final race to come out on top, however the Dukes managed first and third, and Navy took second by a mere .31 seconds to secure the meet victory. JMU’s team of Cornwell, Volk, Siddoway and Schnell won the race in 1:35.19. After Navy’s team touched the wall in 1:35.91, JMU’s third-place squad of Emily Drakopoulos, Cottrell, Gring and Park finished in 1:36.22.
Up Next
JMU returns to the poll on Feb. 3-5 when it heads over the mountain to Charlottesville, Va., to compete in the UVA Invitational.
