Colorado State Opens Season With 142-89 Win Over Boise State

FORT COLLINS, Colorado, October 12. COLORADO State learned a lot about its team Friday night in an impressive, season-opening win over Boise State. If the 142-89 win was any indication, the future looks bright for the Rams.

The dual meet with the Broncos offered Colorado State its first opportunity to gauge how its strong group of newcomers could propel the team.

"What we needed was to see how the new kids were going to impact us," said Head Coach John Mattos, who kicked off his 28th season at CSU. "During our training, they've had an impact every day. Every practice is like a meet, and tonight, we finally got to see them in competition. I think they really elevated our ability to perform. It makes our team solid and really complete now."

One of those newcomers, freshman Michelle Price, turned in a lifetime best in the 200 Backstroke, 2:05.60. Price, a Poudre High School product from Fort Collins, shaved half a second off her previous top time in capturing the event.

CSU won the first 11 events before dropping the final two competitions.

The evening's most exciting event was the 200 Butterfly, where sophomore Nora Kennedy used a 25-yard sprint to barely catch the Broncos' Allison Hall from behind, after Hall led most of the event. Kennedy, another local athlete from Fort Collins High School, finaled at the Mountain West championships last season to earn all-conference honors.

Other CSU winners on the night were Kathleen McCleary (500 and 1,000 Freestyle), Carmen Gisella Cianci (100 and 200 Freestyle), Emily Molzahn (50 Freestyle) and Jen Muniz (400 IM). The Rams' all-freshman 400 Medley Relay squad of Nicole Lynch, Charlie Swearingen, Price and Molzahn, also won its event.

"I thought we could have been a little faster in some areas," Mattos added, "but I'm not worried. The speed will come."

Standout all-conference athlete Elyse Hall began her final collegiate season by taking both diving events, picking up where she left off at the MWC championships. Her 283.80 score on the 1-meter board was a career high.

"We really have a team, and they know it, too," Mattos said. "It was really exciting to see that develop tonight. We built some really good momentum for next week."

And a busy week it will be. The Rams begin conference action Thursday afternoon against TCU, a 4 p.m. dual at Moby Pool, then travel across town to the Edora Pool and Ice Center (EPIC) for the annual Early Bird Invitational. The Early Bird begins at 5 p.m. Friday, and goes all day Saturday, beginning at 9 a.m.

Special thanks to Colorado State athletics for contributing this story.

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