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Tennessee Claims Dual Meet with Virginia
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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Virginia men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams both dropped a dual meet Saturday at Tennessee. The 10th-ranked Cavalier men (4-1) fell to No. 15 Tennessee 156-144 while the ninth-ranked UVa women (2-2) were downed by the No. 12 Lady Vols 166.5-132.5.
The Virginia men claimed first-place honors in seven events, highlighted by a 1-2-3 finish in the 500 freestyle. Senior Matt McLean took top honors in the event with a time of 4:28.60, followed by teammates Jon Daniec (4:29.58) and Taylor Smith (4:30.25).
“It was an outstanding college swim meet,” Virginia head coach Mark Bernardino said. “We stayed tough throughout the meet despite a 26-point in diving; we kept batting our way back in the meet. Between diving and losing four races by one-tenth of a second or less – those are all two-points swings – that was our own doing. We need to learn how to win close races. By in large, though, we swam very well in a very hostile environment. Even with the workload we have been under recently, I am pretty pleased. We swam an outstanding team.”
Smith went on to win the 1650 freestyle in 15:18.72; Daniec was second in that event as well, recording a mark of 15:20.93.
The 500 freestyle was one of two individual event victories on the afternoon for McLean. He went on to take first-place honors in the 200 freestyle with a NCAA ‘B’ time of 1:37.07.
Senior Scot Robison won the 100 freestyle in 44.29, another ‘B’ mark, with McLean touching third in 45.09.
Sophomore Brady Fox and freshman Taylor Grey rounded out the individual winners for the Orange and Blue. Fox recorded victory in the 200 back (1:48.52) while Grey took the 200 breast (2:01.40).
The 400 freestyle relay team of McLean, David Karasek, Peter Geissinger and Matthew Murray claimed second place in a NCAA ‘B’ time 3:01.02. The 200 medley relay team was third overall with a mark of 1:31.53; swimming for Virginia was Jack Murfee, Grey, Geissinger and Robison.
Sophomore Lauren Perdue highlighted the day for the women with wins and NCAA ‘B’ cuts in three events – the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle.
“On the women’s side, we ran into a very ready opponent in Tennessee,” Bernardino said. “They were swimming mighty quick for this time in the training season. They were avenging the defeat that we held on them last year and that seemed to take on a high level of importance. We just had no answers for them. We fell behind early and battled back into the meet but couldn’t get to the point where we could take the lead. It was a couple of tough losses but you can learn a lot in defeat.”
Perdue took first-place accolades in the 50 free with a time of 22.70; freshman Emily Lloyd was second in another ‘B’ cut of 22.35. Perdue went on to win the 100 free in 49.51 and the 200 free in 1:46.91.
Senior Liz Shaw recorded a ‘B’ mark with her second-place finish in the 200 fly, touching in 1:58.66. Classmate Claire Crippen took top honors in the 400 IM with a winning time of 4:20.01, while Shaw placed second in 4:22.34.
Freshman Charlotte Clarke recorded two third-place finishes in the 100 (55.72) and 200 backstroke (2:00.77), while junior Kelly Flynn was second in the 100 breast (1:04.12) and third in the 200 breast (2:17.62).
Anne Summer Myers placed second in the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:52.88 with freshman Rachel Naurath following in third (4:52.90). Naurath was also third in the 100 free (9:53.47) and 200 fly (2:00.72).
On the boards, freshman Alex Leinroth took second on the 1-meter (249.98) and third on the 3-meter (251.63). Classmate Kelly Lloyd was second on the 3-meter (257.85).
Both Virginia’s 400 freestyle and 200 medley relay teams placed second. The 400 free relay team of Perdue, Flynn, Hannah Davis and Emily Lloyd recorded a NCAA ‘B’ time of 3:22.18, while the 200 medley relay team of Clarke, Flynn, Shaw and Lloyd finished in 1:42.80.
Both Cavalier squads are back in action Jan. 22 at home against North Carolina.