DALLAS — Sophomore Katherine Noland gathered a team-high 36 points on Friday night to lead the LSU women’s swimming and diving team into sixth place on the first day of competition at the SMU Classic.
The Lady Tigers trail Alabama for fifth place by five points, 120-115. Host SMU, ranked seventh in the latest Collegeswimming.com poll, leads the meet by one point over No. 14 Florida State, 167-166. No. 13 Wisconsin sits in third with 142 points followed by Virginia Tech with a tally of 132 points.
Noland was one of eight LSU swimmers who were selected to compete in the prestigious competition. In her two individual championship events, Noland was third in the 100 butterfly (56.87) and fifth in the 50 freestyle (24.08).
Senior Colleen Bertirotti followed up Noland by taking sixth in the consolation final (12th overall) of the 100 fly in a mark of 58.52.
Sophomore transfer Victoria Givens finished sixth in the championship heat of the 400 individual medley, and freshman Signe Larson was sixth in the consolation heat (12th overall) of the same event (4:44.65).
Larson was LSU’s highest finisher in the 100 breaststroke, posting a fifth-place time of 1:05.91, while Givens touched the wall in 12th (1:07.79).
Newcomers Sarah Dicharry and Lauren Grandy earned sixth and ninth-place finishes, respectively in the 200 freestyle with times of 1:54.80 and 1:53.73.
Sophomore Berit Aljand took fourth in the 100 backstroke (58.28), and sophomore Katie Gilmore was 10th (59.32). Gilmore’s other individual finish came in the 50 free consolation final as the sophomore was second in that heat and eighth overall (24.34).
The Lady Tigers opened the meet with a fifth-place finish in the 400 medley relay. LSU’s group of Aljand, Larson, Noland and Bertirotti swam a time of 3:52.72, while Florida State won the event in a clocking of 3:45.73.
SMU took home the final event of the evening, the 800 free relay, in a pace of 7:27.51. Dicharry, Grandy, Givens and Bertirotti helped LSU finish sixth (7:48.67).
With the challenge of only bringing one diver to the event, senior Hali Saucier stepped up and delivered the Lady Tigers’ best performance of the evening.
Saucier, who will compete in the 3-meter springboard on Saturday, took runner-up honors and collected 13 points in the 1-meter with a score of 251.85. Florida State freshman Aleia Monden won the event with a mark of 275.05.
Saturday’s schedule of events gets underway at 7:30 p.m. from the Perkins Natatorium. Live statistics are available through www.LSUsports.net, while live streaming video can be attained at www.smumustangs.com.
2006 SMU Women’s Classic
October 20-21
Perkins Natatorium
Dallas, Texas
Team Standings
(After Friday’s completed events)
1. SMU — 167
2. Florida State — 166
3. Wisconsin — 142
4. Virginia Tech — 132
5. Alabama — 120
6. LSU — 115
Saturday’s Schedule of Events
(Begins at 7:30 p.m. with a consolation and championship heat)
400 Freestyle Relay
500 Freestyle
200 Backstroke
200 Breaststroke
3-Meter Diving
100 Freestyle
200 Butterfly
200 Individual Medley
200 Freestyle Relay