Getting a lead out of the starting gate is only important when it can be finished at the end.

The ISU swimming and diving team did just that on Friday, winning the first 12 events of a double dual with Northern Colorado and Nebraska-Omaha.

The Cyclones (5-3, 0-2 Big 12) defeated Nebraska-Omaha 153.5-104.5 and Northern Colorado 171-83.

On Saturday against Nebraska, however, Iowa State started strong but then fell in five events, losing 181-115.

“We swam exceptionally well,” said swimming coach Duane Sorenson.

“Nebraska was just a little bit hungrier and came back and beat us in some events.”

Sorenson said he thought the score could have been very different.

“The score could have been completely opposite if we could have just been tougher in our last lengths,” Sorenson said.

The Cyclones won a total of six events on Saturday with Haley Haynes being the only two-event winner.

Haynes won the one-meter and three-meter diving competitions with point totals of 255.76 and 261.82, respectively.

“Haley had an outstanding weekend,” Sorenson said.

“She beat some top-rated divers on Saturday.

Iowa State swept the backstroke events with Maggie Peterson winning the 100 in a time of 58.71 and Kim Rogers taking the 200 with a time of 2:06.54. The only other Cyclone to win an individual event was Lauren Breunig in the 200 individual medley (2:08.19). Iowa State did touch the wall first and second in the final event, the 400 freestyle relay, with times of 3:39.34 and 3:56.13. Breunig was also second in the 100 and 200 freestyle.

On Friday, the 400 medley relay team of Peterson, Marni Benson, Kim Rogers and Breunig got the Cyclones off to a great start with a time of 3:56.74. Chelsey Walden followed with one of her two victories in the 1000 freestyle in a time of 10:30.82. Walden also won the 500 freestyle (5:07.54).

“Chelsey swam very strong Friday in both the 500 and the 1000 freestyle,” Sorenson said.

Tami Ritchie was another Cyclone to win an event, taking first in the 200 freestyle in a time of 1:56.88.

“Tami [Ritchie] did an outstanding job in the 200 freestyle,” Sorenson said.

Breunig won both the 50 and the 100 freestyle in times of 24.49 and 52.54, respectively.

“Lauren swam two season bests on Saturday,” Sorenson said. “She did a very nice job in the 100 freestyle.”

Benson swept the breaststroke events, taking the 100 in a time of 1:05.86 and winning the 200 with a time of 2:25.58. Other big performances for the Cyclones include Lindsay Wegner and Cassandra Nelson going 1-2 in the 100 backstroke with times of 1:00.48 and 1:01.86 along with Rogers winning the 200 butterfly in a time of 2:08.64.

Peterson earned the other Cyclone victory in the 200 backstroke touching the wall first in a time of 2:09.61.