Pitt Women Cruise to Backyard Brawl Victory

Thursday, January 18

Morgantown, WV

4 p.m.

Pitt

West Virginia

Pitt Women Cruise to Backyard Brawl Victory

1/18/2018 9:30:00 PM | Swimming & Diving

Results (PDF)

Full Results (PDF)

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- The Pitt women's swimming & diving team produced a dominant display to triumph in the Backyard Brawl, 193-107, against West Virginia on Thursday evening at the WVU Natatorium.

Competing in a dual meet for the first time in more than two months, the Panthers (9-2) knocked off the previously unbeaten Mountaineers (3-1) in convincing fashion thanks to several standout swimmers and a historic diving performance by senior Meme Sharp.

Sharp won both women's diving events, scoring 319.87 points on 1-meter and 306.60 points on 3-meter. Her 1-meter points total set a WVU Natatorium all-time record, besting the previous pool record at West Virginia, which had been held by Virginia Tech's Ashlynn Peters since 2015.

That was just the start of Pitt's history-making success at the WVU Natatorium on Thursday evening in Morgantown. Sophomore Valerie Daigneault led the Panthers in women's swimming by taking home three individual event wins, claiming top spot in the 100 back (55.71), 200 back (1:58.28) and 200 IM (2:03.04) -- and her 200 back and 200 IM times were also the best in the history of the home of West Virginia swimming & diving.

Joining Sharp and Daigneault in winning multiple events for the Panthers on the women's side were junior Rachel Brown triumphed in the 50 free (23.70), 100 free (51.93) and 200 free (1:51.50); senior Lina Rathsack took the 100 breast (1:03.56) and 200 breast (2:18.25); and senior Amanda Richey cruised in the 500 free (4:56.48) and the 1,000 free (10:06.00).

Also on Thursday night, the Pitt men (5-3) fell to undefeated West Virginia (4-0) by a score of 187-113.

Leading the Panthers on the men's side was sophomore Samy Helmbacher. Helmbacher won three 200-yard events himself -- the 200 free (1:39.38), 200 breast (2:03.02) and 200 IM (1:48.40) -- and his mark in the 200 IM was the Panthers' fourth WVU Natatorium pool record of the meet.

Junior Aaron Sett also gave Pitt a clean sweep in all of the freestyle distance events by claiming the titles in the 500 free (4:32.67) and 1,000 free (9:27.09).

The Panthers won't have to wait long to compete in a dual meet again. Pitt host Division III power Denison on Friday at Trees Pool. The meet begins with diving at 4 p.m. before swimming starts at approximately 5 p.m. Admission is FREE to all fans.

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