COLUMBIA, S.C. – Freshman Jaycie Knight took top honors in two events, while Megan Hunter and Jaiden Estrada both captured event titles as well, but the UNC Pembroke swimming & diving team dropped a close dual meet to Columbia College in the season opener for both teams on Saturday.
 
Knight, a Taylorsville native, won both the 50-Yard Freestyle and 100-Yard Backstroke events, while also swimming a leg on UNCP's 200-Yard Medley Relay team that was more than two seconds better than the Koala's squad. Estrada took top honors in the 100-Yard Freestyle event, while Hunter was tops among five competitors in the 200-Yard Freestyle.
 
Saturday's setback marked the closest contest in three all-time matchups with Columbia. The Black & Gold fell 146-20 in 2016-17, and dropped a dual to the Koalas by 66 points last season.
 
The Braves will be back in action again on October 13 when they head to Spartanburg, S.C., to take on Converse inside the Marsha H. Gibbs Fieldhouse.