USC’s Carsten Vissering Splits 22.9 Breast On 200 MR in Dual Meet

USC V. MINNESOTA V. OREGON STATE

• January 18, 2019
• Hosts: USC
• Results
• Scores
  • Women: USC 146, Minnesota 114 | USC 204, Oregon State 55 | Minnesota 218, Oregon State 44
  • Men: USC 153, 109

WOMEN’S MEET

The USC women took the win here over Minnesota and Oregon State, getting things started with a win in the 200 medley relay (1:40.15). *Split names for USC’s men and women on all relay results were unavailable.*

USC’s Louise Hansson got the better of Minnesota’s Tevyn Waddell in the backstrokes. Hansson went 53.60 to Waddell’s 53.87 in the 100, while she went 1:56.10 to Waddell’s 1:56.78 in the 200. Waddell would finally get her win in the 100 fly, though, where she went 54.37 to beat USC’s Caitlin Tycz (54.85).

Riley Scott was 2:11.46 in the 200 breast, taking down Lindsey Kozelsky of Minnesota, who was 2:12.76. Kozelsky won the 100 breast, though, by a thin margin, going 1:01.01 to Scott’s 1:01.70.

Marta Ciesla was big for USC, too, sweeping the sprints. She was 23.05 in the 50 and 50.43 in the 100 as USC went 1-2-3 in both (and 1-2-3-4 in the 100 free). Another big swim came from Trojan Madison Wright, who uncorked a 1:57.88 to take the 200 fly.

For Minnesota, who made this a fairly close meet, Chantal Nack stunned with three individual wins. She was first 1:47.12 in the 200 free, knocking off Trojan Tatum Wade (1:48.01). Nack was then 4:50.59 in the 500 free ahead of teammate Abbey Kilgallon (4:53.35), a lifetime best for Kilgallon. Finally, Nack clocked a 2:00.12 to win the 200 IM, a lifetime best by almost two seconds.

Minnesota freshman Kilgallon erupted for a 9:54.79 to win the 1000 free, ahead of USC’s Elizabeth Stinson (9:58.15). That was Kilgallon’s first time under 10:05 in a dual meet this year, and faster than her season best by almost four seconds. It was also just two tenths off of her lifetime best from 2016.

USC wrapped up the meet with a 1:31.96 in the 200 free relay (exhibitioned), winning by over 3 seconds over Minnesota’s A relay and going 1-2 overall with their own B relay. For the 2nd meet in a row, there was no Mackenzie Padington for the Gophers.

MEN’S MEET

The men’s meet started with fireworks, with USC edging Minnesota in the 200 medley relay, 1:26.84 to 1:27.12. For USC, Carsten Vissering‘s 22.97 split was absolutely lights out, though Minnesota freshman Max McHugh was nearly that fast with a 23.15 split. Funnily enough, Vissering and McHugh are unofficially the fastest breaststrokes in 50 relay split history. McHugh went 22.51 at the Hawkeye Invite in November, unofficially the fastest split ever, while last year at NCAAs Vissering split a 22.58, which was unofficially the fastest split ever, at that time.

Whomever USC’s backstroker was, presumably Patrick Mulcare, got them out to a lead with a 22.65 over Matt Thomas‘s 23.16, and Minnesota couldn’t catch up. USC’s B backstroker actually went the quickest split of the field (22.56).

Vissering and McHugh would match back up in the individual breaststroke events. Vissering was stellar, going 52.29, with McHugh just back at 52.62. That was McHugh’s fastest dual meet performance of the year by far, having never broken 54 prior (though his season best is a 51.73 from the Hawkeye Invite). Meanwhile, it was Vissering’s best dual meet performance ever. McHugh snapped back with a win in the 200 (1:58.30) over Vissering (2:02.44).

For USC, Mulcare was a triple winner. The senior was a big part of the Trojans’ win, sweeping the backstrokes (48.20 / 1:48.61) and then picking up the 200 IM in 1:50.20 before the final relay. Mulcare was the only swimmer under 1:50 in the 200 back.

Alex Valente swept the butterfly events, but the 100 fly was a fantastic race between four swimmers. Valente got to the wall first at 48.05, followed by Trojans Alexei Sancov (48.45) and Kyle Grissom (48.59) and Gopher Tuomas Pokkinen (48.69). In the 200 fly, Valente was 1:48.48 for the win.

Bowe Becker was the only double winner for the Gophers, as he raced to sprint free wins. Becker was 19.86 to take the 50, just ahead of Grissom (19.93). In the 100 free, Becker posted a 44.22 to sail to victory.

USC just got under 1:20 to win the 200 free relay, getting sub-20 splits from their 2nd, 3rd, and 4th legs.