Jan. 11, 2012
AUBURN, Ala. - Auburn's senior swimmers and divers made the most of their final home dual meet as Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace and Vennie Dantin combined for six wins in the No. 7 Tigers' 167-133 victory over No. 4 Texas on Wednesday at the James E. Martin Aquatics Center.
"It was a great meet for us," Auburn associate head coach Frank Bradley said. "We just came out here and took care of business. Nothing too high, nothing too low. It's the way we've been training and competing all year."
Auburn (4-1) won 11 of 16 events in the meet to earn their second straight win over Texas and improve to 4-2 in the all-time series.
Vanderpool-Wallace won all four events she entered, including both sprints and both relays. The 400 medley relay team of Emily Bos, Lauren Norberg, Olivia Scott and Vanderpool-Wallace started things off with a dominating performance, winning by more than five full seconds in 3:37.38. The team of Erica Belcher, Abby Dunan, Kelsey Winters and Hannah Riordan took third place in 3:44.90 to earn two more points toward the Auburn effort.
Vanderpool-Wallace then won both sprints, clocking a 22.41 in the 50 free and a 48.44 in the 100 free to give Auburn a lead it would not relinquish. She then helped put the meet away with a strong leadoff leg in the 200 freestyle relay as she joined Hannah Riordan, Megan Fonteno and Haley Krakoski in winning the final race with a 1:31.99. The team of Scott, Lindsey Norberg, Bos and Becca Jones took second place in 1:32.89.
Dantin also kept up her strong performances with wins in both the 1- and 3-meter diving events. She posted a 307.05 to win by a wide margin in the 1-meter competition, then recovered from a shaky first dive to come from behind and win the 3-meter event with a 337.73.
"I know (our seniors) were a little emotional before the meet, but they got themselves back together and had a strong meet," Bradley said. "They've been training really well. We're happy with where they are, and we're going to keep pushing the rest of the season."
Several other Tigers were impressive on the day as well. Junior Katie Gardocki put together a career-best time in the 1000 free with a time of 9:43.06, while Siena DeVenuto had her best time of the year as well with a 10:05.51 to finish fourth.
Gardocki then got a second win in the 500 free, finding an extra gear in the final five yards to chase down Texas' Leah Gingrich with a time of 4:46.38, winning by .15 seconds.
Bos got a come-from-behind win of her own in the 200 back with a time of 1:58.70 to win by .25 seconds; freshman Erica Belcher was third in 2:00.52. Bos also made a spirited charge in the final 25 yards of the 100 back, but came up a hair short with a runner-up time of 54.61.
Scott posted a victory in the 100 butterfly with a time of 53.22, and Lauren Norberg got a win in the 100 breast in 1:01.78 with Abby Duncan in fourth place in 1:03.16.
The No. 7 Auburn and No. 2 Texas men's teams will be in action Thursday for their own Senior Day meet with action getting underway at 5 p.m. at the James E. Martin Aquatics Center.
Auburn Swimming & Diving Results
January 11, 2012
James E. Martin Aquatics Center - Auburn, Ala.
Team Scores: #7 Auburn 167, #4 Texas 133 (women)
Auburn Top Finishers: 400 Medley Relay: 1. Bos, La. Norberg, Scott, Vanderpool Wallace (3:37.38); 1000 Freestyle: 1. Gardocki (9:43.06); 200 Freestyle: 3. Jones (1:49.42); 100 Backstroke: 2. Bos (54.61); 100 Breaststroke: 1. La. Norberg (1:01.78); 200 Butterfly: 3. Peterson (2:00.81); 50 Freestyle: 1. Vanderpool-Wallace (22.41); 1-Meter Diving: 1. Dantin (307.05); 100 Freestyle: 1. Vanderpool-Wallace (48.44); 200 Backstroke: 1. Bos (1:58.70); 200 Breaststroke: 2. La. Norberg (2:16.51); 500 Freestyle: 1. Gardocki (4:46.38); 100 Butterfly: 1. Scott (53.22); 3-Meter Diving: 1. Dantin (337.73); 200 IM: 2. Gardocki (2:05.09); 200 Freestyle Relay: 1. Vanderpool-Wallace, Riordan, Fonteno, Krakoski (1:31.99).