LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State swimming and diving time trails Liberty 50-38 after Friday night's relay events at the NM State Swimming and Diving Complex.
 
"Despite the loss tonight, I think we had some great splits. We had a lot of lifetime best relay splits," said head coach Rick Pratt. "Liberty won every relay in their conference last year, they're a really fast team. I thought in certain areas we hung in there with them and in certain areas we've got some work to do. I thought our distance swimmers still need a little more time to get some work under their belt but overall we've got some good speed. A couple of the freshman that had been a little under the weather and hadn't shown us a lot showed us a lot tonight. Neza Kocijan was really impressive at the end and Anabel Ivanov was really impressive and probably the most impressive freshman today was Lauren Hemburrow. All of her splits were really solid. Then our seniors did tremendous. Hanna McGowan ran her fastest 100 breast in a dual meet tonight with a 1:03.9, the fastest time in the WAC so far. Lauren Wood and Ashley Reynolds were really solid on that relay tonight too."
 
The Aggies started strong, getting five points from senior diver Mackinna Hauff in the 1m Dive relay with a score of 380.50.
 
Liberty's team of Mikayla Herich, Lindsey Cohee and Alicia Finnigan then won the 500 Fly relay with a time of 2:50.75. NM State's relay team Reagan Nentwhich, Hemburrow and Katherine Harston placed second with a time of 2:53.93.
 
The Flames also finished first in the 300 Back relay with a time 2:46.46 to beat the Aggies' Lanie McAlpine, Alix Knagg and Ivanov who finished with a time of 3:01.31.
 
The 300 Breast relay saw Liberty (3:14.65) edge out New Mexico State's McGowan, Lauren and Ashley who finished with a time of 3:15.35.
 
In the 1500 Free relay, the Flames' squad finished first with a time of 15:21.59 Followed by Grace Laporte, Moana Houde-Camirand and Harston (16:12.84).
 
Then, Hauff again came through for the Aggies, delivering the victory 391.85 to Liberty's Abigail Egolf Jensen's 387.60 in the 3m Dive relay.
 
However, the Flames would then sweep the top two spots in the 800 Free relay with times of 7:40.75 and 7:45.71.
 
Next, the Aggie squad of Reynolds, Barbora Krizanova, Wood and McAlpin would finish the 400 Medley relay in second with a time of 4:05.38 to Liberty's 3:59.69.
 
In the final event of the day, the 200 Free relay, the Flames touched (1:35.66) touched the wall ahead of NM State's team of Mackenzie Baird, Airam Oliva-Aun, Hemburrow and Anabel Ivanov.
 
"I think for our first meet out of the gate, we were a little anxious at the front and paid the price at the end of our races but as the meet settled down we looked better and better so that's a good sign," added Pratt. "It was a fun format, beautiful night and we had a great crowd, so in the end we had great energy and we just have to carry that through tomorrow and despite the loss today, I think we're in a good place."
 
Day two of the dual meet gets underway tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 6, at 11 a.m. (MT). As always, admission is free for all fans at the NM State Swimming and Diving Complex.