Marshall Opens Bil Tramel Era With Triumph Over Youngstown State

HUNTINGTON, West Virginia, October 19. MULTIPLE wins by Lauren Hurd and Sarah Kay helped propel Marshall's swimming and diving team past Youngstown State 175-121, Friday inside the Frederick A. Fitch Natatorium.

Friday's meet was the first of the 2012-13 season for the Thundering Herd. It's the third straight year that Marshall has grabbed a win in its opening dual-meet. The victory also improves MU to 11-0 all-time versus the Penguins.

The Herd was able to take first place in 11 of the 16 events, which included both of the relays and three wins from Kay and two from Hurd.

For Hurd, it was her first career victories as a member of the green and white. The Orange Village, Ohio native was first to the wall in the 50-yard freestyle (25.25) and the 100 free (54.64).

“Lauren Hurd continues to move along well,” coach Bill Tramel said. “She had a really nice 50 free and it did not feature a perfect finish so it could be faster.”

Kay was victories three times. She swept the butterfly events as she was first in the 100 fly with a time of 59.67 and the 200 fly with a time of 2:07.14. Her final win of the afternoon came in the 200 individual medley where she won by more than two seconds with a final time of 2:14.25.

In the relays, Marshall set the tone for the day with a first place performance in the 200 medley relay (1:51.65) during the opening event. Hurd and Kay were on the team along with Madison Lawhorn and Kacey Preun, two other individual winners Friday.

During the final event, the 400 free relay, the Herd raced back in the third and fourth legs of the race to take the top two spots with times of 3:41.75 and 3:42.47.

“We got off to an excellent start by winning six of the first seven events, including the front relay, but as diving started we got a little complacent,” Tramel said.

“Youngstown has a very fine coach and he really motivated his ladies to fight and they took advantage of our complacency. But after the second diving event I thought we were focused and we finished with two very exceptional performances. ”

Marshall's other winners on the day were Preun with a time of 10:29.89 in the 1000 free and Lawhorn with a mark of 1:06.08 in the 100 breaststroke for her second straight win of the year in the event. Additionally, Kaley Gregory was victorious in the 500 free (5:13.09) and Sarah Coghlin had a win in the 200 free with a time of 1:58.12.

For the first time in her Marshall career, Preun did not touch the wall first in the 200 breast, as Samantha Roberts edged out the sophomore right at the finish.

Youngstown State took both diving events. Casey Hill's score of 248.70 in the three-meter event was good enough for a win while Bec Stafford took home first place in the one-meter after a mark of 275.47. Lauren Rone was the Herd's only diver, pulling in third during the three-meter (212.10) and second in the one-meter, despite MU's 10th best all-time score at 264.22.

“We still have much to learn and improve on and I am asking our ladies to approach each meet as another step towards our season-ending goal,” Tramel said after the meet.

“There was some progress today and as we learn we will be able to do more.”

Marshall will take a week off before return to Fitch Natatorium on Saturday, Nov. 3 when it welcomes Radford for a dual-meet at 11 a.m.

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World Magazine. It has been posted in its entirety without editing. Swimming World offers all outlets the chance to reach our audience by contacting us at Newsmaster@swimmingworldmagazine.com. However, Swimming World reserves the right to choose what material is posted.

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