Florida Honors Seniors with SEC Sweep of South Carolina
Florida finished first in all but one of 28 combined events as it swept South Carolina in SEC action on Friday night.
The No. 2 men’s team claimed a 164-93 victory in Gainesville. The women, ranked third in the nation, prevailed, 175-82.
Isabel Ivey led the senior parade. The fifth-year transfer from California won the 100 backstroke in 1:01.66 and the 100 butterfly in 52.58. She also swam fly on the winning 400 medley relay, teaming with Bella Sims, Anna Moore and Emma Weyant to go 3:37.68 and win.
Weyant won the 200 fly in 1:57.87 – denying senior Amanda Ray a celebratory win by .22 seconds – and the 200 breaststroke in 2:14.64. Sims tacked on a win in the 100 free in 49.49. She had been second in the 50 free in 23.30, .16 seconds behind Olivia Peoples. Ekaterina Nikonova was second in the 100 free and the 200 free, the latter to Micayla Cronk’s time of 1:45.65.
Caroline Pennington won the 1,000 free and was second in the 500 free. Lainy Kruger was third in the 200 free, then won the 500. Zoe Dixon (100 back), Jo Jo Ramey (200 back) and Julia Podkoscielny (400 individual medley) added wins for the Gators.
South Carolina’s Aubrey Chandler was third in both the 50 and 100 free. The Gamecocks got their only win of the day in the men’s 100 back, with Michael Laitarovsky going 48.18. Connor Fry was second in the 1,000 free and 500 free, as was Linus Kahl in the 100 breast, Mark Shperkin in the 50 free and Wylie Kruse in the 200 back and 100 fly.
The seniors on the Gators’ men’s team enjoyed a touch more success. Jack Van Deusen went 9:09.05 to take the win in the 1,000 free. Jace Crawford went 48.12 in winning the 100 fly. Adam Chaney was the fastest in the 50 free in 20.42, and he led off the winning 400 medley relay with Julian Smith, Scotty Buff and Macguire McDuff.
Peter Bretzmann swept the breaststroke events for Florida. Joaquin Gonzalez Pinero was first in the 200 fly and 400 IM. Buff was second in both the 100 back and 100 free. Mason Laur won the 200 free, Edouard Fullum-Huot claimed the 100 free, Caleb Maldari was tops in the 200 back and Andrew Taylor claimed the 500 free.
