Lyons outscore Westfield State in opening home meet

Mount Holyoke's 2025-26 season home opener was a dual meet victory over Westfield State on Nov. 15, 2025. (Bob Blanchard/RJB Sports)

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. -- The Mount Holyoke swimming and diving team enjoyed a convincing victory in their opening home meet of the season on Saturday, as the Lyons outscored visiting Westfield State 166-114.

"It was a great meet with some close races," said head coach Dave Allen. "I am proud of how the team elevated to the challenge and swam really well. Overall we had some great races. You can see the races we won, and it was a group effort."

The Lyons started off with an exciting win in the 200-yard medley relay, with senior anchor Sophie Allen (Lopez Island, Wash.) touching the wall 0.35 seconds ahead of Westfield's Jackie Roccabruna, with a time of 1:59.57. Preceding Sophie Allen were first-year Maya Oakes (Pine Bush, N.Y.) in the backstroke, first-year Ellie Lewis (Spencer, Ind.) in the breaststroke, and junior Isabel Dunn (Harbor Springs, Mich.) in the butterfly.

Other top-two finishes by the Lyons included:

First-year Evelyn Rousseau (Hudsonville, Mich.) won the 1,000 free in 12:21.41, and later took second place in the 500 free (5:54.61).
Junior Madeline Hood (The Colony, Texas) won the 200 breaststroke in 2:44.63. Hood also took second place in the 1,000 freestyle in 12:33.30.
Oakes took first place in the 100 back (1:04.63) and in the 500 free (5:51.85), and was second in the 50 free (27.67).
Lewis won the 100 breaststroke in 1:15.47, just .06 ahead of Westfield's Emily Donatio. She also placed second in the 200 individual medley (2:30.43).
Dunn won the 200 fly going away, in 2:32.06, and also captured first place in the 100 fly in 1:04.81. Dunn also edged teammate Lewis in the 200 individual medley, at 2:29.57.
Allen placed second in the 200 back (2:28.92).
The 200-yard free relay team of Sophie Allen, junior Nat Rockwell (Orwell, Vt.), first-year Carol Fang (Shanghai, China), and first-year Katie Thomason (Alexandria, Va.) placed second in 1:50.64.
Sophomore Katherine Upton (Cambridge, Mass.) impressed a vocal audience while competing unopposed in the diving events. Upton scored 173.05 points on the 1-meter board and 174.95 points at 3 meters. "Katherine did an amazing job in diving," said Allen. "Especially since she was the only diver. It's always a challenge to dive by yourself."