DECORAH and SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Competing in a split squad for the weekend, the Gustavus women's swimming & diving team compiled a pair of impressive victories over two Iowa opponents to start the 2024-25 season. The Gusties swam to a 162-135 victory over Luther to start the day, followed by a 179-53 win over Morningside.

"It was great to get the competitive part of our season started after over a month of good, quality training," said Head Coach Jon Carlson '88. "It was fun to race other teams instead of just ourselves as we have been in practice over this last month. The team performed well in both locations, with some really outstanding performances to start the season. When you split your team like that against two really good teams, it makes for a very exciting day, all the way to the end. Our swimmers stepped up time and time again to collect some pretty amazing times. I know myself and the team are excited for the rest of the season after today's performance."

Gustavus 162, Luther 135

Against the Norse, the Gustie relays dominated, sweeping both events, starting with a 200 medley win in 1:52.47, courtesy of the team of Eloise Cooper (Fy., Stevens Point, Wis.), Lindsay Sundby (Jr., Randolph, Minn.), Linnea Reinsmoen (Fy., Doha, Qatar), and Geneva Fackler (Fy., Plymouth, Minn.). In the 400 free relay, the team of Stella Anderson Moye (So., Inver Grove Heights, Minn.), Fackler, Olivia Scheeler (So., Sauk Rapids, Minn.), and Marit Isaacson (Sr., St. Paul, Minn.) claimed the top spot in 3:42.77.

Isaacson added additional wins in the 200 freestyle (2:00.41) and 200 backstroke (2:11.77), while Sundby also compiled a pair of victories outside of the relays. Sundby touched the wall first in the 100 breaststroke, finishing in 1:10.02, followed by a 200 breaststroke win in 2:36.34. Cooper collected the seventh win in the pool for the Gusties, taking first in the 100 backstroke in 1:00.51.

On the boards, Gabriella Stoudt (Jr., Maple Plain, Minn.) led the way, taking first in the 1-meter with a score of 222.50. She took second in the 3-meter, while Annika Ohashi Berg (Fy., Rochester, Minn.) took fifth in the 1-meter in her collegiate diving debut.

Gustavus 179, Morningside 53

The Gusties were dominant to say the least in their victory at Morningside, winning all but three events in Sioux Falls.

Nola Fisher (So., Albertville, Minn.) led the squad with a trio of victories. The sophomore won the 50 freestyle in 26.06, the 100 freestyle in 58.34, and the 100 butterfly in 1:04.18 to round out her first meet of the season. Fellow sophomore Felicia Symreng (Stockholm, Sweden) also claimed multiple wins on Saturday, taking first in the 100 backstroke (1:05.58) and the 200 backstroke (2:19.83).

Abby Arp (Sr., Maple Grove, Minn.) collected a win in the 1000 free in 12:21.02, while Lissie Artley (Sr., Monument, Colo.) touched the wall first in the 200 freestyle in 2:09.69. Junior Ellie Johnson (Saint Peter, Minn.) rounded out the individual victories in the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:56.86.

In the relays, the team of Libby Lozinski (Jr., Bloomington, Minn.), Caelyn DeSotel (Fy., Rogers, Minn.), Megan Thomson (Jr., Blaine, Minn.), and Mia Trifilette-Simons (Fy., St. Paul, Minn.) won the 200 medley in 2:05.69. Lozinski, Trifilette-Simons, Grace Wagner (Jr., Le Sueur, Minn.) and Madeline Ziegler (Sr., Sauk Rapids, Minn.) also added a win in the 400 free relay in 3:57.18.

The Gusties are back in the pool next Saturday, playing host to UW-Stevens Point and MSU-Mankato in Saint Peter.