Aggies open 2015-16 with win over Kentucky

Wednesday, October 14

Lexington, Ky.

2:00 PM

Texas A&M

179

121

Kentucky

Oct 14, 2015 | Women's Swimming and Diving

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Texas A&M women's swimming and diving team rolled to a 179-121 road victory over Kentucky in its 2015-16 season-opener on Wednesday at the Lancaster Aquatic Center.

"We had some good swims and I liked how we raced in our first competition of the season," Aggie head coach Steve Bultman said. "It was a good way to start the year."

The Aggies opened and closed out the meet with victories in the relays. The foursome of sophomore Lisa Bratton, junior Sycerika McMahon, sophomore Béryl Gastaldello and sophomore Kristin Malone opened the meet with a victory in the 200-yard medley relay in a time of 1:41.65, and the quartet of freshman Lexie Lupton, senior Claire Brandt, junior Sarah Gibson and Gastaldello finished the day with a win in the 400 free relay in a time of 3:28.20.

In between the relays, the Aggies were victories in nine of 14 events with a trio of Aggies winning multiple races. Gibson won the 1,000 freestyle in 10:02.67 and the 100 butterfly in 55.03; McMahon grabbed wins in the 100 breast in 1:02.25 and the 500 free in 4:53.98; and freshman Sydney Pickrem won the 200 free in 1:49.50 and the 200 IM in 2:02.18.

Grabbing solo individual victories for the Aggies were junior diver Madison Hudkins in the one-meter dive with a score of 306.38, Lupton in the 50 free in 23.23 and senior Meredith Oliver in the 100 free in 51.01.

The Aggies were especially dominant in 50 freestyle and the 200 IM with a sweep of the top three spots in both races. Trailing Lupton in the 50 free were Malone in 24.01 and freshman Shayne Gregson in 24.31. Pickrem led the way in the 200 IM, followed by sophomore Bethany Galat in 2:02.41 and McMahon in 2:05.13.

The Aggies return to action on Oct. 23 when they begin a four-meet home stand with a 3 p.m. dual meet against North Texas at the Student Recreation Natatorium.