Dec. 3, 2016
Scott Lazeroff won the 3-meter competition for the second time this season as Auburn continued action at the Georgia Invitational on Saturday. With one day remaining, Auburn's men's swimming and diving team remains in third-place.
Lazeroff had scored a 336.25 in the prelims to place fourth in prelims and then came back to score a 354.05 to win the finals. Pete Turnham had been third out of prelims with a 355.10 before finishing sixth (300.10).
"I was pleased with our effort today," diving coach Jeff Shaffer said. "Pete was strong in prelims and Scott stepped up in the finals to win the event."
In the swimming lanes, Auburn opened the night with a third-place showing in the 200 medley relay (1:25.88) and ended it with a fourth-place finish in the 800 free relay (6:27.94). In between the relays was a solid night of swimming.
"Our men came into this meet like iron men and the true character of the team was on display this evening," assistant coach Kirk Grand said. "After a busy first day and full morning it can be difficult to come back and find fast swimming, but they did it. There was a true 'racers mentality' tonight and absolutely no fear."
Joe Patching took sixth in the 400 IM in 3:47.07 after going 3:46.14 in the morning. Russell Noletto took 23rd (3:54.90).
In the 100 fly Luis Martinez was the top seed coming out of the prelims with a 46.20 and then finished second at night in an identical time. Peter Holoda was seventh (47.34), Liam McCloskey won the B Final (47.19) and Foster Ballard finished 13th (47.62).
Hugo Morris took sixth in the 200 free in 1:36.97 after going 1:36.07 in the morning. Zach Apple was 16th (1:39.18), Colin Bone won the C Final (1:36.26) and Owen Upchurch finished 22nd (1:38.97).
Michael Duderstadt went 52.83 to finish fifth in the 100 breaststroke while Tommy Brewer won the C Final in 54.61.
Patching came back later to take third in the 100 back in 47.03, Kyle Darmody was 10th (47.36), Joshua Booth 12th (47.97), Taylor Copeland 14th (48.22) and David Crossland 15th (48.38).
"Everyone was fully engaged in not only their swims but those of their teammates," Grand said. "There was a tremendous amount of learning that took place tonight. It is very clear that the guys are swimming for each other and for Auburn."
In the women's 1-meter, Alison Maillard took second with a 277.75 while Maddie Cox was sixth with a 268.40 and Claire Schuermann was 14th with a 237.10)
"It was great to see Alison show her potential in placing second in the finals," Shaffer said. "She competed a new dive, a reverse two-and-a-half with a 3.0 degree of difficulty, which not very many females in college are competing. It will be a huge dive for her as the season progresses."
In the men's team competition, Auburn stands in third with 472 points. California leads with 574 points and Georgia is second with 520.
The competition concludes on Sunday with the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, platform diving, the 1650 free and the 400 free relay. Prelims begin at 8:30 a.m. CT and the finals at 2 p.m.
Live results are available at georgiadogs.com.