The streak lives on.
Women’s swimming and diving has yet to lose at home to the University of North Florida and has extended its unbeaten dual-meet streak to 2,086 days. The Eagles topped the Ospreys 143.5 to 94.5 with fi ve different swimmers posting multiple first place finishes.
One of those was freshman Evita Leter, who placed first with the 200-yard medley relay team and individually won the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard breaststroke.
“I posted close to my best time, but I am setting my expectations higher for the later part of the season,” Leter said.
Junior Emma Svensson and freshman Kira Toussaint also helped win two races, the 200-yard medley relay and 200-yard free relay.
“It felt good to win, especially in my first competition ever. I didn’t have high expectations for myself, but for the team everybody did really good,” Toussaint said. “We really felt that we were a team this match and it was different from my home’s (Netherlands) team. Back home, they think of swimming of more as an individual sport. Here, they make it a team sport, and I like it here a lot better. It was a new experience for me.”
The two other swimmers with first-place finishes were sophomore Lani Cabrera and senior Lindsey Meeder. Cabrera, specializing in long distance, individually won the 1,000-yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle. Meeder victoriously swam in the 200-yard IM and 100-yard freestyle.
Diving also played a role in the dominating win over UNF, finishing second in the 3-meter with a score of 246.3 by junior Taylor Malewicki, who lost by a little over a point. Taking third was junior Cayla Collins with a score of 241.2. The Ospreys claimed all top-three spots in the 1-meter and top spot in the 3-meter, giving them 28 points out of their 94.5.
The Eagles’ next meet is against the University of Miami on Saturday. The swimming and diving team was able to beat UM at the All-Florida Invitational earlier this year, but not by a lot.
“I think we have a good chance against Miami if we perform really strong,” Leter said. “Individually, I have been trying to improve my endurance and doing distance work since I am not used to the longer races. We have added gym work, which is harder, but it does help.”
The meet will be held in Miami, making it exciting for some of the newcomers.
“I have never been to Miami, so I am really looking forward to the meet,” Toussaint said.