In the seniors’ last home event in Beyer Hall, the Iowa State swim and dive team was victorious over in-state rival Northern Iowa on Saturday.

Savanna Townsend, senior and two-time team captain, expressed her feelings about the meet, which Iowa State won 188-110, being her last home event. 

“Bittersweet to put in so many hours; sad since this is the last time competing in Beyer,” she said. 

Senior Maddie Rastall shared similar feelings. 

“[I] was very focused on the meet, but after my last event, I realized this was my last event in Beyer,” said Rascal, who finished second in the 50-yard freestyle. “It was bittersweet, but winning was even better.”

Head swim coach Duane Sorenson also had sentimental feelings toward the seniors’ last meet in Ames.

“[I] ask the whole team to send out seniors out on top,” he said. “Just come out and take the challenge on.”

Although it was senior night, many of the team points came from freshmen, as the team started to build an early lead.

A team with all juniors, Kasey Roberts, Danica Delaquis, Harper Emswiler and Laura Miksch, finished first in the 200-medley relay. 

Freshman Jessi Storer added another strong performance in the 1,000-yard freestyle, finishing first in 10:31.19. 

Keely Soellner, another freshman, helped Iowa State gain momentum by finishing first in the 200-yard freestyle in 1:53.49, beating fellow Cyclone Brooke Evense.

The wins piled up until the ninth event, the women’s 100-yard freestyle, when Northern Iowa’s Molly Lembezeder slightly beat Iowa State’s Maddie Rastall by about a half second. 

Before the loss in the 100-yard freestyle, the Cyclones won every event. 

On the diving platform, senior Julie Dickinson posted the best performance on the 3-meter diving event with a 301.05 score. She also had a 302.40 score on the 1-meter board.

The Cyclones went on to finish second in three more events, including the 100-yard butterfly, the 200-yard backstroke and the 200-yard individual medley.

“Our freshman class has done an amazing job,” Sorenson said. “… They were on a mission to be one of the top classes ever at Iowa state.” 

The freshmen, who were big contributors to Iowa State’s big win, said the seniors still have more left in them. 

“They were the ones that got this meet going and showed up,” Rastall said. ”So [I’m excited] to see what they have to do at the Big 12 Championship.”