By Chris Judd, News Correspondent

Sophomore swimmer Anna Schegoleva led the Huskies with three first-place wins in Saturday’s season-opening meet against the University of New Hampshire, but it wasn’t enough for the win as Northeastern fell to the Wildcats, 165-135, at the Barletta Natatorium in Cabot Physical Education Center.

Northeastern started off strong, with a lead until the middle of the meet. However, New Hampshire was able to win the final five events to close out a close match.

“Our team had a great performance,” head coach Roy Coates said. “Unfortunately, the other team’s was a little better. This was our first meet of the year, and I thought that our times were where we wanted them to be.”

Schegoleva, junior Julia Alvarez, seniors Erica DeMunbrun and Nicole Colucci won the 200-meter medley relay with a time of 1:48.38.

Schegoleva also won the 200-meter backstroke with a time of 2:04.08 and the 100-meter backstroke with a time of 58.39. Junior Dana Schleif took second in the 100-meter backstroke with a time of 59.77.

Alvarez topped the finishers list in the 100-meter breaststroke in 1:04.95. Seniors Keary McClernan and Kelly Becherer each came out with second place finishes in the 100-meter breaststroke and 50-meter freestyle, respectively.

The Wildcats were a strong team last year, placing third in the America East Championships.

“It was a great meet,” Colucci said. “They were very hard competition, but they didn’t expect us to perform at the level that we did. All the girls did really well, and everyone can go home happy. Erica DeMunbrun and Alli Gielowski really impressed me, and I think everyone else on the team, especially in the [100-meter] butterfly.”

Last year, the Huskies placed second in the conference, with 20 athletes returning for the 2012-2013 season.

“We may alter the line-up a little bit since this is our first competitive match of the year,” Coates said. “But we swam well and dove well.”

In diving, junior Candace Young took first place in both the 1-meter and 3-meter dives. She earned 246 points in the 1-meter dive and 246.67 in the 3-meter dive.

“We placed first and fourth on both the 1- and 3- meter diving,” Coates said. “They did a great job helping the team out, and did as good as the swimmers.

The Huskies take the pool again on Friday and Saturday for a Coloninal Athletic Association pod meet against Old Dominion, Towson and George Mason Universities in Norfolk, Va.

“We’re all excited for the next match,” Colucci said. “We’ll have more rest in that meet because it’s over two days instead of having events constantly. This meet is a good way to go into next weekend.”