In the run-up to College of Charleston’s final dual meet, the Cougars traveled to Statesboro, Georgia to compete in a tri-meet against Georgia Southern and SCAD Savannah last weekend. Complete Results
Women’s Meet
Georgia Southern’s women’s team came out the big winners, with a 162-126 victory over College of Charleston and a 181-94 win against SCAD. The Eagles produced the fastest time in 13 of the 14 swimming events and won 1 of the 2 diving events.
The Eagles opened with a 1:46.89 first-place finish in the 200 medley relay with Christina Moran, Abbie Lavallin, Megan Heller and Elaina Lanson. Charleston’s Madison Tarleton, Taylor Hollingsworth, Corinne Taylor, Mary Frances Babrowicz touched second in 1:49.85.
Madison Lichtefeld led a 1-2-3 Eagles sweep in the 200 free with 1:55.56, finishing just barely ahead of Kylee Parsons (1:55.79). Lichtefeld went on to score a double with her win in the 200 breast (2:25.57), while Parsons picked up a win in the 500 free (5:10.21) and was runner-up in the 1000 (10:27.19). Moran took top honors in both backstroke events, clocking a 59.16 in the 100 and 2:05.56 in the 200. Lavallin earned a very narrow victory over Charleston’s Hollingsworth in the 100 breast, 1:06.44 to 1:06.85.
Goergia Southern’s Lauren Campbell won the 200 fly (2:07.54), was runner-up in the 200 back (2:09.68), and swam the fastest 400 IM in exhibition (4:35.77). Teammate Lanson scored points for the Eagles by winning both sprint frees: 23.49 in the 50 and 52.12 in the 100. Diver Erin Hembree won the 1-meter and placed third in the 3-meter. Heller went a 58.34 100 fly in exhibition, and Moran, Parsons, Kaylyn Thomas, and Lanson put up a 1:37.57 exhibition in the 200 free relay.
The College of Charleston had many strong performances. Taylor led the way with a first-place finish in the 100 fly with a time of 58.82, and a second in the 200 fly, going 2:09.54. Tarleton placed second in the 100 back (1:00.78) and third in the 200 back (2:10.97).
Hollingsworth was runner-up in both breaststroke events, touching in 1:06.85 in the 100 and 2:27.79 in the 200. Babrowicz (24.38) and teammate Sarah Graif (24.84) finished 2-4 in the 50 free. Jayme Groth (53.70) placed second in the 100 free, while Graif (54.31) touched fourth again. Groth was also runner-up in the 100 fly with 59.56.
Lydia Renn and Alexa Namestnik had strong swims in the 500 free, finishing third and fourth, respectively, with 5:16.48 and 5:17.68. Michelle Whitfield won an exciting 400 IM by .31 with 4:44.39; teammate Tarleton was third in 4:45.64.
Cougar divers Megan Norton and Nicole DeMarco went 1-2 on the 3-meter board and 2-3 in 1-meter. College of Charleston wrapped things up with a win in the 200 free relay from Babrowicz, Clare Fleming, Groth, and Graif (1:38.09).
SCAD Savannah had several bright spots, as well, as the Bees recorded several season-best times and qualified new swimmers for NAIA Nationals. To begin with, Hannah Legg, Heather Partlow, Shannon Cummings, and Heather Dundey turned in a season-best 1:51.00 in the 200 medley relay. Caroline Lepesant won the 1000 free in 10:25.92, while Rebecca Justus’ fourth-place finish of 10:50.12 was her fastest of the year, too. Partlow went 1:10.50 to lead SCAD’s efforts in the 100 breast, while Samantha Benson was the fastest Bee in the 200 fly, going 2:10.77.
Sprinter Julie Woody finished third in the 50 free (24.73) and fifth in the 100 free (54.75). She then led a trio of Bees to a 3-4-5 finish in the 100 fly: Woody went 1:00.23 and was followed by Cadie Crow (1:00.60) and Dundey (1:01.19). Lepesant scored fourth in the 200 breast with a lifetime best 2:33.49, and fourth in the 400 IM. Finishing second in the 400 IM was Justus in a season-best 4:44.70, a mere .31 behind the winner.
Men’s Meet
College of Charleston men’s team dominated the SCAD Bees, winning 13 swimming events; the divers competed in exhibition, as SCAD is a swimming-only program.
The Cougars set the pace early with a 1-2 sweep in the 200 medley relay behind Buckley Powell, William Ryan, Pablo Ortiz, and Alex Wood (1:34.51) and Richard Brown, Elijah Bohon, Talmage Spence, and Ben Hillebrand (1:35.78). SCAD’s Karl Hegwein, Styrbjorn Torell, John LaPorta, and Nick Wargo touched third in 1:36.32.
Jack Story led a 1-2-3 sweep of both the 1000 free and 500 free, coming in at 9:48.60 and 4:49.56, respectively. In both cases he was followed by teammates Jake Gregory and Alfonso Castillo. Ryan notched a triple win for the Cougars, taking the 100 breast in 57.90, the 200 breast in 2:08.07, and the 400 IM in 4:09.55. Wood was another valuable scorer for CofC with wins in the 50 free (21.37) and the 100 free (47.26).
Hillebrand’s 1:44.98 led the way in the 200 free, just .10 ahead of CofC teammate Joshua Shaffer. SCAD’s Roger Kjos (1:46.11) and Wargo (1:46.69) followed in third and fourth; both were at or near their best times of the season.
It was a close battle for first in the 100 back but CofC’s Spence came in ahead of SCAD’s Hegwein, 51.11 to 51.43. Ortiz led the Cougars to a 1-2-3 finish in the 200 fly; he touched in 1:55.59, with Matthew Elliott and Adam Imspon trailing. Imspon went on to win the 100 fly in 45.54 ahead of teammates Buckley and Ortiz. Bohon logged a couple of seconds, going 59.32 in the 100 breast and 1:53.88 in the 200 back.
SCAD Savannah’s Tyler Prescott won the 200 back in 1:52.89 and was fourth in the 100 back. He also came in second in the 400 IM with 4:13.38. Teammate Eli Guillou was out-touched for first place in the 200 breast by .07 with a season-best 2:08.14. Hegwein and Wargo went 2-3 in a very close 100 free in 47.52 and 47.74, respectively.
College of Charleston will host its final meet at the Stern Center Pool for senior day this coming weekend. The meet against Gardner Webb will kick off at 6 p.m. on Friday. Saturday’s contest will begin with a presentation ceremony for the senior class at 11 a.m., followed by the diving team taking on Clemson at 11:30 a.m. and the swim meet going up against Gardner Webb at 1:00 p.m.