On Oct. 7, spirits were high as Tulane women’s swimming and diving traveled to Cleveland, Mississippi, to take on the Fighting Okra of Delta State University. The Green Wave went into the weekend looking to turn the momentum after a disappointing 3-7-1 season last year.

The biggest story of the competition was the incredible performance from the freshmen participating in their first-ever collegiate meet. Tulane freshmen dominated the diving competitions going first, second and third in the 3- and 1-meter dives to help the team take an early lead en route to a 201-42 victory. 

Katie Lipsey, a freshman from Wilmette, Illinois, led the way in event one with an impressive score of 248.02. Freshmen Paige Mckenzie and Caroline Alonzo rounded out the top three with scores of 246.97 and 246.00 respectively. 

Results were similar in the 1-meter dive as Alonzo took the top spot with Mckenzie and Lipsey following closely behind in second and third. After the first two events the swimmers began to add to the 201 total points put forward by the team.

Tulane dominated the team events, winning both relay races by multiple seconds. In the 200-yard medley relay, Tulane’s top racers beat Delta State’s time by 4.24 seconds, and in event 13, Danielle Titus, Iza Pelka, Riley Hendrix and Courtney Barker beat out the Delta State team by nearly 10 seconds.

Tulane took eight of the nine first-place spots and seven of the nine second-place spots in the other races to wrap up a dominating opening tournament. The Green Wave will look to build on their win as they head to Houston, Texas, in 10 days to compete in the two-day event, Dual-A-Pa-Looza.