Swimming and Diving: Virginia splits dual at Virginia Tech

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

The Virginia swimming & diving teams split in its dual at Virginia Tech on Saturday morning at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center.

The UVA women won 193-107, while the men fell 113-187. The Cavaliers won 16 events overall in the meet.

“It’s always a tough trip heading down to Virginia Tech coming off our block of winter training and we like to use this as a gauge and steppingstone for the back half of the season,” head coach Todd DeSorbo said. “The men and women executed races really well, which is what is most important in mid-January. I expect both the men and women to continue to improve as the winter progresses towards championship season.

“Our divers, especially the women, had a great day on the boards. Quite a few season and personal bests, so I’m excited to see them improving significantly. Overall, a quick day trip for some good racing to kick off the semester. Hats off to VT for some great competition as always. Looking forward to next weekend to compete at home and honor our fourth years in their last home dual meets.”

No. 1 Virginia women at Virginia Tech

• UVA won all but three events in the dual and swept the top three finishes in two events.
• Freshman Gretchen Walsh led the Cavaliers with three individual wins. She placed first in the 50-yard freestyle (22.18), 200-yard backstroke (1:54.67) and 200-yard IM (2:01.24).
• Junior Kate Douglass won two events, taking the 100-yard breaststroke (1:00.01) and 100-yard freestyle (48.11).
• Junior Maddie Donohoe swept the distance free events with wins in the 500-yard freestyle (4:52.54) and 1000-yard (10.00.69) freestyle.
• Sophomore Alex Walsh picked up wins in the 100-yard backstroke (52.68) and 100-yard butterfly (52.74).
• Freshman Emma Weyant won the 200-yard freestyle (1:48.87) and senior Alexis Wenger finished first in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:14.08).
• UVA took the top two spots in the 200-yard medley relay. Kate Douglass, Ella Nelson, Abby Harter and Alex Walsh, respectively, took first in 1:39.46.
• The Cavaliers won the 400-yard freestyle relay to close out the meet. Ella Nelson, Ella Bathurst, Reilly Tiltmann and Alex Walsh, respectively, finished first in 3:20.10.
• In diving, Lizzy Kaye finished second on both the 1-meter (305.10) and 3-meter (305.63) boards, scoring career-highs in both events. Junior Charlotte Bowen was fourth on the 1-meter and junior Jennifer Bell was fourth on the 3-meter.

No. 17 Virginia men at No. 16 Virginia Tech

• The Cavalier men picked up three event wins against the Hokies.
• Sophomore Noah Nichols won the 100-yard breaststroke (53.92), sophomore Matt King was first in the 50-yard freestyle (20.05) and senior Justin Grender won the 200-yard backstroke (1:44.71).
• UVA took the top two spots in the 50-yard freestyle, with sophomore Matt Brownstead finishing second in 20.06, just behind King.
• Grender also finished second in the 100-yard backstroke (48.47).
• King added a second-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle (43.98).
• Sophomore Tanner Hering (9:33.05) and freshman Peter Thompson (9:40.67) were two-three in the 1000-yard freestyle.
• Sophomore Jack Wright finished second in the 200-yard freestyle (1:38.61).
• Junior Josh Fong (1:48.64) and senior Casey Storch (1:48.84) finished second and third, respectively, in the 200-yard butterfly.
• Storch was second in the 200-yard IM (1:49.19).
• In diving, senior Walker Creedon finished third on both the 1-meter and 3-meter and freshman Nicholas Sanders took fourth in both events.

Up next

Virginia closes the dual meet season next weekend at home, hosting North Carolina on Friday, Jan. 21 and NC State on Saturday, Jan. 22. Saturday’s meet will be Senior Day.