Oct. 9, 2010
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Auburn swimming and diving team opened the 2010-11 season on the road as the squad traveled to in-state rival Alabama Saturday afternoon. The Auburn women came away with a 169-74 victory over Alabama, while the Tiger men fell in a tight battle, 133-110, to the Crimson Tide.
"It was good to see the women out-perform the men today and it is a major confidence boost for them," head coach Brett Hawke said. "The men swam tired and we need to find a way to race tougher. I am, however, proud of our senior captains as they showed solid leadership on both men and women's teams."
A major highlight of the day was the performance of all four Auburn divers as they each earned NCAA Zone qualifying scores on both the one-meter and three-meter springboards at the meet. Junior Anna Aguero and redshirt senior Dan Mazzaferro led the way as each took first on both events. Aguero won the one-meter in a score of 281.18 and followed with a first-place score of 303.45 on the three-meter. Redshirt senior Dan Mazzaferro won the one-meter and the three-meter with scores of 328.65 and 389.18, respectively.
Junior Vennie Dantin took second on the one-meter (262.50) and the three-meter (294.98), while freshman John Santeiu IV was second on the one-meter (308.78) and the three-meter (331.95).
"I'm very proud of all four of our divers' performances today," head diving coach Jeff Shaffer said. "John (Santeiu) stepped up and performed in his first dual meet and competed very well. It was very rewarding to see the work from the fall pay off and it lays the foundation for a very successful spring."
Sophomore Hannah Riordan led the women as she earned a pair of victories on the day, taking first in the 50 free (23.38) and in the 100 free (50.46).
A trio of freshmen in Emily Bos, Siena DeVenuto and Evan Noble each recorded the first-collegiate win of their careers. Bos came in first in the 200 back with a time of 1:59.88, while DeVenuto was first in the 500 free (5:04.13). Noble captured first in the 200 IM as he touched in a time of 1:53.83.
"The freshmen really stood out on both sides," Hawke said. "Emily (Bos) and Evan (Noble) had break-out performances for freshmen and I'm really proud of the young group overall."
The Tigers opened up with a pair of wins in the 200 medley relay. The women's squad of Bos, Micah Lawrence, Olivia Scott and Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace took first in a time 1:43.14. The quartet of Tony Cox, Stuart Ferguson, Nimrod Hayet and Karl Krug finished in 1:31.21 for first.
The women's team of Erin Reisinger, Lauren Norberg, Lindsey Norberg and Riordan came in second in the 200 medley, touching in a time of 1:44.92.
The Auburn women went 1-2-3-4 in the 1000 freestyle with senior Micah Martindale finishing first in 10:12.38. Sophomore Katie Gardocki was second in 10:20.10, while DeVenuto (10:23.80) and sophomore Sterling Wine (10:32.38) took third and fourth, respectively.
The Tiger women also finished 1-2-3 in the 500 free and the 200 breast. In the 500 free, Gardocki was second (5:04.56) behind DeVenuto and Wine took third (5:08.76). Lawrence led the way in the 200 breast, taking first in 2:16.67. Lauren Norberg was second (2:24.34) and Laura Johnson was third (2:24.55).
Sophomore Becca Jones earned a first-place finish in the 200 free with a time of 1:51.17, while Martindale came in third in 1:52.67. Freshman James Disney-May took second in the event for the men, clocking in at 1:41.67.
Senior Adam Klein and Ferguson went 1-2 in the 200 breast, as Klein touched in at 2:04.26 and Ferguson finished in 2:05.57.
The women finished the meet strong, taking first and second in the 800 free relay. The team of Scott, Caitlin Geary, Bos and DeVenuto captured first (7:35.71) and just out-touched the group of Gardocki, Jones, Martindale and Vanderpool-Wallace (7:35.78).
The team of freshman Disney-May, Noble, sophomore Kyle Owens and senior Kohlton Norys battled the Alabama "A" squad and came in second by .09 seconds with a time of 6:43.92.
Auburn freshman Zane Grothe earned a pair of second-place finishes in his first collegiate meet. He took second in the 1000 freestyle in a time of 9:30.18 and followed with a runner-up finish in the 500 freestyle in 4:36.56.
Vanderpool-Wallace had a second-place finish in the 50 free (23.64), while Krug and senior Jared White finished second (20.63) and third (20.93) in the 50 free, respectively. Krug also took third in the 100 free with a time of 45.93.
Senior Melanie Roberts recorded Auburn's best finish in the 200 IM, taking third in 2:07.55. Scott was third in the 200 fly (2:10.17) and Hayet was the Tigers' top finisher in the 200 fly, touching in a time of 1:51.96.
Auburn opens its home schedule on Oct. 22 as the Tigers welcome SEC rival LSU to the Student Activities Center for a 3 p.m. meet. The Auburn women will also face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at 3 p.m. in a tri-meet.
Auburn Swimming and Diving
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Alabama Aquatics Center; Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Team Scores:
Auburn (W) 169; Alabama 74
Alabama (M) 133; Auburn 110
Auburn Top Finishers - Women: 200 Medley Relay - 1. Bos, Lawrence, Scott, Vanderpool-Wallace (1:43.14); 1000 Freestyle - 1. Martindale (10:12.38); 200 Freestyle - 1. Jones (1:51.17); 50 Freestyle - 1. Riordan (23.38); 200 IM - 3. Roberts (2:07.55); Three-Meter - 1. Aguero (303.45); 200 Butterfly - 3. Scott (2:10.17); 100 Freestyle - 1. Riordan (50.46); 200 Backstroke - 1. Bos (1:59.88); 500 Freestyle - 1. DeVenuto (5:04.13); One-Meter - 1. Aguero (281.18); 200 Breaststroke - 1. Lawrence (2:16.67); 800 Freestyle Relay - 1. Scott, Geary, Bos, DeVenuto (7:35.71).
Men: 200 Medley Relay - 1. Cox, Ferguson, Hayet, Krug (1:31.21); 1000 Freestyle - 2. Grothe (9:30.18); 200 Freestyle - 2. Disney-May (1:41.67); 50 Freestyle - 2. Krug (20.63); 200 IM - 1. Noble (1:53.83); One-Meter - 1. Mazzaferro (328.65); 200 Butterfly - 4. Hayet (1:51.96); 100 Freestyle - 3. Krug (45.93); 200 Backstroke - 2. Murphy (1:50.48); 500 Freestyle - 2. Grothe (4:36.56); Three-Meter - 1. Mazzaferro (389.18); 200 Breaststroke - 1. Klein (2:04.26); 800 Freestyle Relay - 2. Disney-May, Noble, Owens, Norys (6:43.92).