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Virginia Defeats South Carolina to Open Season
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COLUMBIA, S.C. The Virginia men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams defeated South Carolina to open the 2008-09 season Friday in Columbia, S.C. The 10th-ranked women’s earned a 163-132 victory while the No. 15 men beat the Gamecocks 165-124.
The women started things off with a victory in the 200 medley relay. Mei Christensen, Katherine McDonnell, Kristen Wallace and Megan Evo combined to touch at 1:43.30.
Virginia went 1-2-3 in three events: the 1000 free, 100 back and 100 breast. Jen Narum claimed first-place honors in the 1000 free (9:52.25) while Joanna Thomas (9:59.80) finished second and Leslie Swinley (10:06.47) was third. Christensen (55.09) paced the group of backstrokers while first-years Jenny Lewis (56.80) and Erika Stewart (56.82) touched behind Christensen. McDonnell went on to win the100 breast (1:03.56) followed by teammates Ellie Freeman (1:04.32) and Amanda Faulkner (1:04.95).
Christensen and McDonnell each grabbed another individual victory in the winning effort. Christensen also claimed the 200 back (1:57.82) while McDonnell won the 200 breast (2:17.07). Other event winners for the Cavalier women included Liz Shaw in the 200 fly (1:57.21), Jenna Harris in the 500 free (4:54.24) and Wallace in the 100 free (51.62).
On the boards, first-year Sarah Andrekovich finished fourth on the 1-meter (220.72) to lead the Virginia divers.
The men’s 200 medley relay team of Eric Olesen, Ryan Hurley, Lee Robertson, and Scot Robison also went on to place first, touching at 1:31.26.
Virginia finished 1-2-3 in three events, including the 1000 free, 200 free and 100 breast. John Snawerdt led the group of distance freestylers in the 1000, finishing with a time of 9:29.36. Teammates Dan McMahon (9:32.05) and Garrett Wren (9:32.34) placed second and third, respectively. In the 200, John Azar won the event with a time of 1:39.37 in front of teammates Taylor Smith (1:40.02) and Darren Ankosko (1:40.27). Hurley paced the Cavaliers in the 100 breaststroke with a mark of 56.95, followed by Tony Colella (58.07) and Tim Hayes (58.49).
Robison claimed two more wins in the 50 free (20.63) and the 100 free (44.73) while Robertson took first-place honors in the 200 fly (1:49.09). Newcomer David Wren won the 200 back (1:48.71) and Olesen took the 100 back (49.69). Hurley also won the 200 breast with a time of 2:02.39.
Alex D’Ambrosio led the Cavaliers on the boards with a second-place finish in both the 1-meter (302.02) and 3-meter (328.20) events.
Both teams are back in action at 11 a.m. Saturday at Clemson.