By Jordan Parry, ASU Media Relations
TEMPE, Ariz. -- The second day of back-to-back home meets came to a close Saturday afternoon, with both the Arizona State men (0-2) and women’s (0-2) swim and dive teams dropping their meets to Minnesota. The Devils used their first two meets against Big Ten opponents as a tune-up for a long season ahead as they aim to get key swimmers back from injury and into the pool moving forward.
The ASU men dropped its contest by a final score of 181-117, while the women went fell 191-101.
Coming off two relay victories yesterday against Wisconsin, the men’s Sun Devil relay team won both relays again on Saturday, making it four consecutive victories in relays to begin the season.
In the 400 medley relay, sophomore Thomaz Martins, junior Thibaut Capitaine, sophomore Tadas Duskinas, and freshman Patrick Park combined for a time of 3:21.22, touching in .77 seconds ahead of Minnesota’s A relay team.
In the 400 freestyle relay, the final event of the day, Park, Duskinas, Martins, and sophomore Barkley Perry came out on top with a time of 3:00.96, almost three seconds ahead of Minnesota in second.
“We’re really excited that our men’s relays have been able to get wins each time out,” said Arizona State associate head coach Greg Earhart. “For us, getting those relays to nationals, getting them into the top 16 in the country, is going to be what determines the success of our program this year.”
For the second-straight day, Duskinas proved to be a force in the pool. As well as swimming in every winning relay, he won the 50 freestyle for the second time in as many days with a time of 20.87. He also won the 100 butterfly, finishing with a time of 49.52.
Capitaine also scored an individual victory, his coming in the 200 breaststroke, swimming a time of 2:03.36.
For the women, a consistent bright spot came from senior diver Hailey Casper, who secured first-place in the 1-meter dive for the second-straight day. After recording a score of 280.80 against Wisconsin, Casper improved on that mark and secured a 302.18, over 30 points ahead of the next finisher.
As for the women's team, Earhart has a message to send.
“We’re only going to get better,” said Earhart. “We’ll be a lot better when we get our swimmers off the bench from injury and into the water. Until then, we’ll need those in the water to pull their weight, and then some.”
While the Sun Devils won’t host another meet until January, they still will be in action. They are set to travel to Seattle, Wash. for meets on Oct. 24-25 against Seattle University.