HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison swimming and diving's final home meet of the season came down to the final race, as Navy snuck past the Dukes by a 151-149 margin on Saturday afternoon at Savage Natatorium.
 
Navy improved to 8-3 on the year, while the Dukes fell to 5-3.
 
It was also the final home meet for JMU's 2023 seniors – Isabel Anbar, Sarah Gaudet, Lindsey Hammar, Alaina Park, Felicity Ryan, Karen Siddoway and Devan Taylor.
 
JMU collected eight wins, eight runner-up finishes and seven third-place showings. That including taking the top-three places in three events. Navy swept the podium in four events, claiming eight event wins.
 
The Dukes opened the day taking first in the 200 medley relay, as the team of Cameron Gring, Taylor, Madison Cottrell and Jordyn Schnell finished with a time of 1:43.90, just over a second ahead of Navy's top squad.
 
In the 1,000 freestyle, Abby Maguire took the win with a mark of 10:30.40, besting Navy's Sarah Eldridge by over three seconds. Riley Nugent also took third in 10:35.93.
 
After Navy swept the top-three spots in the 200 free, JMU answered with the top-three finishers in the 100 backstroke, as Cottrell (56.08), Gring (56.40) and Lauren Aylmer (57.68) turned in top times.
 
Navy once again swept the top three in the 100 breaststroke and took first and third in the 200 butterfly, with JMU's Jess Pryne taking runner-up in 2:05.31 in latter event.
 
The Dukes dominated the 50 free, as Schnell took first place (23.97), followed by Jamie Cornwell in second (24.15) and Alex Volk (24.16). JMU also finished first in second in the three-meter diving event, as it was paced by Alexa Holloway's 297.38 and Lexi Lehman's 282.98.
 
Schnell took first once again, this time in the 100 free with a time of 52.04, while Navy was just tenths of a second back to claim second and third. JMU also placed second in third in the 200 back, as Cottrell was runner-up (2:04.13) and Aylmer was third (2:04.49).
 
Navy vaulted into the lead by winning the next three events. They swept the podium in both the 200 breast and 500 free while taking first and second in the 100 fly. JMU's Gring rounded out the top three in the fly with her time of 57.92.
 
In the one-meter diving event, JMU got back in it with the top-three finishers. Maddie Yager won the event with a score of 279.53. Following her in second and third were Ryan (248.93) and Hammar (247.65).
 
A pool record was set in the 200 individual medley, as Navy's Lauren Walsh set a Savage Natatorium record of 2:03.92, besting the previous record of 2:04.55. Pryne also bested the previous mark with her time of 2:04.09 to grab second place, while Grace Bousum was third in 2:08.83.
 
JMU needed the top-two spots in the final race to come out on top, however the Dukes managed first and third, and Navy took second by a mere .31 seconds to secure the meet victory. JMU's team of Cornwell, Volk, Siddoway and Schnell won the race in 1:35.19. After Navy's team touched the wall in 1:35.91, JMU's third-place squad of Emily Drakopoulos, Cottrell, Gring and Park finished in 1:36.22.
 
Up Next
JMU returns to the poll on Feb. 3-5 when it heads over the mountain to Charlottesville, Va., to compete in the UVA Invitational.