Nov. 12, 2005
Charlottesville, Va. - The top-ranked Auburn men and women's swimming and diving teams concluded the second day of competition at Virginia against three top-25 teams- Virginia, Penn State and Purdue (men only). The No. 1 AU men defeated Virginia 184-165, Penn State 217-125 and Purdue 210-132 to remain undefeated this season. Likewise, the No. 2 Tiger women picked up two wins over Virginia 222-126 and Penn State 195.50-150-50.
"The team swam well and had its best meet so far this season," head coach David Marsh said. "I think it is a reflection of the team getting into better shape as they continue to train hard in the pool. We had some good competition at this meet with two other team conference champions - Virginia's men won the ACC Championship last season and Penn State's women were Big 10 champs last year."
On day two of the meet, the 200 medley relay was the first contested event as the Tiger team of James Wike, David Maras, Matt Targett and George Bovell captured the win (1:30.09) and the women (Jeri Moss, Lauren Duerk, Danielle LeClair and Emily Kukors) were second in a time of 1:45.03.
The 50 and 200 free's were strengths for both the AU men and women. G. Bovell took the double win on the men's side with his first `B' cut performances of the season - 19.93 (50 free) and 1:37.65 (200 free). Matt Targett was the runner-up in the 50 free and Joey Schneider turned in a season-best 1:38.54 in the 200 free for second place. Shai Livnat completed the AU sweep in the 200 finishing third (1:30.40). On the women's side, Kukors won the 50 free with an improved `B' cut performance of 23.48 and newcomer Margo McCawley showed improvement in the 200 free, winning the event in a time of 1:50.29.
In the women's 200 breast, the Tigers dominated with the top three finishers led by Duerk who swam a better `B' cut time of 2:15.93. Anne Amardeilh swam her first `B' cut in the event to finish second, 2:17.03, and Julie Stupp was third with an improved `B' time of 2:17.41. On the men's side, Eric Shanteau came in third with a season-best 1:58.68.
Luke Weniger took the 100 fly title in a time of 49.97 and Moss finished second in the 200 back in a season high time of 55.49. The Tigers exhibitioned in the 400 IM, but with a time of 3:48.99, Shanteau would have won the event on the men's side and Stupp with a season high 4:17.67 would have been second.
The 400 free relay concluded the final day of competition as both the men and women swam exhibition but had times that would have been fast enough to win. Wike, Targett, Doug Van Wie and Shanteau swam 3:00. 48, a season-high. Jana Kolukanova, Kukors, Kara Nelson and McCawley swam the team's first `B' cut time of the season - 3:23.20.
"Julie Stupp and Joey Schneider were our swimmers of the meet as each had the best swims of the season," Marsh noted. "Eric Shanteau led the men's team and we also saw a reemergence from George Bovell. On the women's side, Hayley Peirsol continues to be strong and Jeri Moss and Margo McCawley both had excellent performances during the two-day competition."
NEXT MEET: Tiger fans can look forward to an exciting return to Auburn next Friday night as AU takes on intrastate rival Alabama at 5:30 p.m. in the James E. Martin Aquatics Center. AU fans are urged to come out and cheer on the Auburn swim and dive team who looks continue its win streak and get the weekend Iron Bowl weekend started off right.