Gutsy performances from the freshman class were not enough to push the New Mexico swimming and diving team past Wyoming during Saturday’s dual meet at Seidler Natatorium.
Adriana Palomino took three wins in tough distance races, but more contributions were needed as the Lobos fell to Wyoming 170-130.
“She’s the top distance girl from Arizona; she’s a very tough girl and she never quits,” head coach Kunio Kono said of Palomino. “We always ask her to fill the hardest spot, which is the 1000 (yard freestyle) and the 200 (yard freestyle) back-to-back. She knows what to do, exactly. She’s very smart, and at the same time the toughest girl.”
In her only three individual races of the day, Palomino was victorious in the water. The freshman from Tempe, Arizona set the pace early for the Lobos, taking first in the 1000-meter (10:37.46), and following that performance immediately with a first-place time of 1:54.00 in the 200-meter free.
“I just try to push myself and race everyone,” Palomino said. “I just try to race the person next to me, and that’s what I try to do every time, so I guess it works.”
Although the Lobos were off to a strong start with Palomino’s wins, Wyoming picked up the majority of the remaining events, and garnered victories in both the three- and one-meter dives.
Despite the loss, Kono said he was pleased with the effort put forth by the team as a whole, especially the younger swimmers.
“Well, definitely we have a bright future,” Kono said. “We have great freshmen, great younger girls. We just have an experienced and amazing team, that’s for sure. Right now those girls were helped by upperclassmen, so I can see the huge team bonding.”
Freshman Mareike Foester performed with dominance in the 200-meter breast stroke as the Lobos took the top three spots in that event, led by Foester’s 2:21.37 time. Senior Kristin Walker (2:22.78) and junior Emily McGill (2:25.47) finished second and third, respectively.
Walker was the only senior to take home a victory for New Mexico with her 1:04.56 time in the 100-meter breast stroke.
“I was happy with it,” Palomino said. “I wanted for my team to do well, and I think they did really well, so I was really happy.”
Palomino and Foester were not the only underclassmen to put forth a winning effort. Sophomore Morgan Ginnis finished first (23.49) in the 50-meter freestyle, rounding out the winners on the day for UNM.
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“I am amazed. I think our girls did an amazing job,” Kono said. “We’ve never had this many close races against Wyoming. I think every single person stepped up. I am so happy for them.”
Kono said the close races provide a confidence-builder for New Mexico as the Lobos continue to prepare for the Mountain West Championship in February. While Kono said he likes his squad’s performances in quick turnaround dual matches, he said the Lobos are even better with an extended amount of time off, something granted to teams before conference championships.
“We are a very good taper team. We taper pretty good,” Kono said. “This means, which I think we’re going to see in the next couple of months, great things coming up.”
Liam Cary-Eaves is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at assistantsports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Liam_CE.
