FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – The Blue team was dominant during Friday's Northern Arizona swimming & diving Blue vs. Gold meet claiming nine of 12 events to a 61-43 win. However, dig deeper and NAU is in great shape for its season dual meet opener in three weeks with the talent displayed on both teams in the Lumberjacks' final preseason intrasquad meet.
 
"We've got a pretty solid lineup and when we get them together as one team, it's going to be a lot of fun," said head coach Andy Johns. "We're really excited about what we're seeing right now."
 
The excitement stems from NAU's freshman class who stole the show on Friday. The first-year 'Jacks combined for exactly half of the 12 event wins with Elisa Rodriguez and Niamh McDonagh posting two victories each for the Blue team. Rodriguez won both of the sprint freestyle events while McDonagh placed first in the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke.
 
Freshman Sam Milewski won the 200 freestyle for the Blue team in addition to freshman Sarah O'Connor earning first place honors in the 100 backstroke for one of the Gold team's three event wins. Four additional freshmen placed in the top three scoring spots in at least one event.
 
"(The freshmen) are working hard and they're fitting in," Johns said. "They're gamers. They're racing hard, having fun and they're contributing. It's pretty special."
 
The Blue team won all four swimming events going into the first break to build an insurmountable 25-9 advantage. After sophomore Fernanda Montiel, McDonagh, senior Alina Staffeldt and Rodriguez won the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:46.94, the Blue team received three wins from their freshman trio.
 
Milewski earned her 200 free victory with a time of 1:56.67 to best senior Kimmy Richter of the Gold team by a full second before Rodriguez edged out the Gold's senior Roni Houck in the 50 free with a winning time of 24.91. McDonagh then cruised to a time of 2:08.72 in the 200 IM, outdistancing redshirt junior Monique King of the Gold team by nearly five seconds.
 
Junior Tatiana Kurach got the Gold team in the win column with a first-place score of 308.85 on 1-meter with her teammate, freshman Jenny Cheetham, scoring points in third place as well. However, Staffeldt (58.71) and Rodriguez (53.30) claimed convincing wins for the Blue team in the 100 butterfly and 100 free respectively to increase their lead to 38-23.
 
The Gold team made a huge push heading into the final diving break though going one-two in the 100 back and 500 free. O'Connor was the lone Lumberjack to go under one minute in the backstroke, winning with a time of 58.95, and was followed by freshman Lauren Hazel. Richter then won the day's only distance event with a time of 5:04.90 followed by King, which brought the meet to a one-point difference at 40-39.
 
Seeing their lead dwindle to one point, the Blue team claimed the final three events starting with the 3-meter springboard. Juniors Christina Torrente and Raquel Gonzales went one-two with Torrente placing first with a score of 305.40.
 
"Today was what we expected," said diving coach Nikki Huffman. "It's early and every diver hasn't worked on every dive yet, so our consistency could be a little better. Where we are right now is where we should be though and we're going to fine-tune some things."
 
McDonagh touched the wall in 1:06.94 to win the 100 breaststroke before Staffeldt, Montiel, sophomore Erin Spielman and Milewski closed the meet with a time of 1:40.43 in the 200 free relay.
 
NAU swimming & diving will now prep for its first dual meet of the season on Oct. 28 versus New Mexico. The 'Jacks open Homecoming Saturday with an 11 a.m. start in the Aquatic and Tennis Complex.