ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Northern Arizona swimming & diving team won seven of the 14 individual events on Saturday in their dual-season opener, but suffered a 170-130 loss to New Mexico in the Seidler Natatorium. Junior Chelsea Jackson swept the two diving events and freshman Alina Staffeldt captured both butterfly events for the Lumberjacks, as New Mexico returned the favor after NAU won last season's meeting between the two teams.

"Diving was a bright spot winning both events and going one-two-three on 1-meter," said head coach Andy Johns. "That gave us a nice lead, but the 500 free was a turning point when they won the event. It was awesome to see Alina Staffeldt win both of the butterflies. We learned a lot and we have to get a lot better in the next two weeks before we head up to the Pacific Northwest, but that's what racing is all about."

With diving being completed before the swimming events started, the Lumberjacks got out to a nice 30-8 lead with Jackson's pair of victories. She won the 1-meter with a score of 283.43 and followed with a 3-meter winning score of 285.75. But Jackson was not the only diver to shine as the team's other returners – sophomore Alexa Geiger and junior Carlye Townsend – provided a boost, especially on the 1-meter board by completing an NAU sweep of the top-three spots.

New Mexico took the top-two spots to open the swimming events in the 200 medley relay before junior Kendall Brown dominated on her way to a win in the 1,000 free with a time of 10:28.79, more than seven seconds faster than her nearest competitor. Freshman Claire Hammond followed with her first dual meet win in the 200 free with a time of 1:55.64, just edging out UNM's Fanni Pataki by .13 of a second, until the Lobos claimed wins in the 100 back and 100 breast.

Staffeldt stopped the New Mexico run with her first of two wins in the 200 fly with a time of 2:05.77, but New Mexico responded by taking the top-three spots in the 50 free. The Lobos continued with wins in the 100 free and 200 back, but sophomore Urte Kazakeviciute's time of 2:22.89 was good to win the 200 breast.

Although NAU placed three swimmers – Brown, freshman Kimmy Richter and senior Caitlin Wright – in the top-four of the 500 free, New Mexico placed the fastest swimmer in the event, finishing the meet with three wins in the final four swimming events. Staffeldt's 100 fly win with a time of 56.86 was the lone Lumberjack victory to close out the meet.

"We got swept too many times and we couldn't overcome it," Johns said. "I'm proud of the girls' efforts though and we'll get back to work on Monday."

NAU takes the next week off from competition and will prepare for a tough road trip to the Northwest with dual meets against the WAC runner-up Idaho and Pac-12 foe Washington State on Nov. 7 and 8.