With less than a month remaining before the ACC championships get started with the women, most teams in the conference were back in action this weekend for the first time in 2017. The week’s showdowns included the “Commonwealth Clash” between Virginia Tech and Virginia, and North Carolina swam Navy in advance of some major rivalry meets.
Virginia Tech at Virginia
The Cavaliers swept the Hokies in the intra-state rivalry showdown. The typically-strong Virginia women dominated Virginia Tech, winning by a score of 225-123. Virginia topped all four relays and won all but three individual events. In Olympian Leah Smith’s final home dual meet in Charlottesville, she won the 500 free (4:37.42), 1000 free (9:32.90) and 200 free (1:46.59).
Two other Cavalier seniors won two victories each: Laura Simon swept the breaststroke events, and Kaitlyn Jones won the 200 IM and 100 fly. She also had the top overall time in the 400 IM despite swimming exhibition. For the Hokies, all three event victories came from Klaudia Nazieblo, who won the 200 fly (1:57.31), 100 back (54.68) and, officially, the 400 IM (4:16.59).
On the men’s side, Virginia won 199-154 for the team’s first dual meet win over its rivals from the southeast since 2013, which, coincidentally, was the last year Virginia won an ACC team championship. The Virginia men again won the majority of events, and Zach Fong (100 and 200 fly) and Sam Magnan (500 and 1000 free) won two events each.
For Virginia Tech, Brandon Fiala’s strong senior season continued with dual meet wins in the 200 IM and in both breaststroke events, and Benjamin Schiesl swept the one and three-meter diving events for VT. The teams also split the relays, with Virginia Tech winning both the 200 free and 200 medley and Virginia taking the 400-yard events.
Full results from the meet are posted here.
South Carolina at Duke
In the annual January clash between the Gamecocks and Blue Devils, the Blue Devils came out on top in both meets in Durham, but both were competitive throughout. Duke was buoyed by strong performances from senior Maddie Rusch, who swept the sprint freestyle events, and junior Verity Abel, who won the 500 and 1000 free.
Strength in the butterfly races was huge for the Blue Devils, who actually finished 1-2-3-4 in the 100 fly with Alyssa Marsh, Isa Paez, Rusch and Kylie Jordan, and they ended up winning 167-133. For the Gamecocks, Emma Barksdale pitched in wins in both the 200 free and 200 IM, while Julia Vincent swept the diving events.
On the men’s side, Duke did not wrack up individual wins but still managed to take the meet by a final score of 160.5 to 139.5 after sweeping the relays and getting first-place finishes from Max St. George in both backstroke events. In diving, Nathaniel Hernandez, Josh Owsiany and Evan Moretti swept the top three spots in the three-meter event.
Full results can be found here.
North Carolina at Navy
North Carolina has an intense stretch coming up to end dual meet season with rivals Virginia, NC State and Duke coming up in an eight-day span. To warm up for those meets, the Tar Heels got back into racing Saturday with a trip to the Naval Academy, where they swept the Midshipmen, 171-119 (women) and 170-130 (men).
For the UNC women, Hellen Moffitt sat out her typical butterfly and backstroke events, but she won the 50 free and finished second in the 200 IM, while Caroline Baldwin did not swim the 50 free but still picked up a win in the 100 free and finished third in the 200 free. Macey Arnold won the 500 and 1000 free, and diver Elissa Lawson topped the field in the one-meter and three-meter.
The North Carolina men got a brilliant effort out of Henry Campbell, who picked up comfortable wins in the 1000 free, 500 free and 200 IM. Jordan Merrilees sat out the distance races but still won the 200 free and 200 back and anchored the Tar Heels’ victorious, meet-ending 400 free relay. Meet results are available here.
Florida State at Pitt
An exceptional year for the Seminoles kept on going Saturday in a trip north to Pittsburgh. Florida State won all four relays and defeated both the Pitt women (193-107) and men (191-109) in dominant fashion.
For the FSU women, Lydia Ware won the 200 free and 50 free, finished second in the 100 fly and contributed to a dominant 200 free relay win. Natalie Pierce, ranked second in the country in the 100 breast, won that event in 1:02.50. The Panthers only won three swimming events as Amanda Richey won the 500 and 1000 free and Valerie Daigneault finished first in the 200 back.
On the men’s side, Connor Kalisz swept the backstroke events for the Noles and Jason Coombs the breaststroke events. Chad Mylin and Jason McCormick finished 1-2 in the 50 free, and McCormick, Emir Muratovic, Mylin and Kanoa Kaleoaloha swept the top four spots in the 100 free. The same quartet combined to dominate the 200 free relay at the end of the meet with a time of 1:20.90.
Senior diver Dominic Giordano has become a must-see performer for the Pittsburgh men, and he once again won both the one and three-meter diving events. Eben Vorster, meanwhile, swam his way to wins in both the 200 fly and 400 IM. Full results are linked here.
Busy but Productive Weekend for Notre Dame
The Fighting Irish swept home dual meets against Iowa and the Illinois women Friday and then traveled to Northwestern Saturday and again picked up wins. The women beat Illinois 210-87, Iowa 180-117 and Northwestern 182-118, and the men took down Iowa 191-106 and Northwestern 196-104.
On Friday, Abbie Dolan led the way for the Irish women with wins in both the 100 and 200 free, and Emma Sougstad captured the 100 breast and 200 IM. On the men’s side, Robby Whitacre won three events (both backstrokes and 200 IM) for the ND men. Justin Plaschka won the 50 free and 100 fly, Trent Jackson swept the breaststrokes, and Richard Mannix took first in the 500 and 1000 free. (Results)
A day later, Jackson repeated his breaststroke wins in Evanston, and Whitacre again won both backstrokes. For the women, Dolan again won the 100 and 200 free, while Nikki Smith won both butterflys for the Irish and finished third in the 200 IM. (Results)
NC State at Arena Pro Swim Series Austin
The NC State Wolfpack competed at the Arena Pro Swim Series stop in Austin. In that three-day long course meet, Anton Ipsen was the top swimmer for NC State, finishing first in the 400 and 1500 free and second in the 400 IM. On the men’s side, other top-three finishes came courtesy of Ryan Held (second, 100 free), Hennessey Stuart (third, 200 back and 100 back) and Adam Linker (third, 100 back).
Alexia Zevnik finished third in the women’s 100 free in Austin, and a day later Ky-Lee Perry and Natalie Labonge went 2-3 in the 50 free. Hannah Moore took second in the 800 free, and Mackenzie Glover was third in the 200 back.
Full coverage of that event is available here.
Marist at Boston College
The Eagles hosted Marist in Chestnut Hill Saturday and ended up with a sweep. While the men dominated by a score of 213-87, the women eeked out a 156-144 nail-biter that was the first team win over Marist in five years. For the women, freshman Victoria Lin swept the butterfly events, while on the men’s side, Anthony Richardson swept the 100, 5000 and 1000 free and teammate Taylor Cortens won the 200 back, 200 fly and 200 IM. Diver Cole Maletesta was also twice victorious, capturing the one-meter and three-meter events.
