NC State Sweeps Miami and UMBC

Both the NC State men and women’s swimming and diving
programs got off to solid starts in their season openers on Saturday,
Oct. 11, shutting out Miami and UMBC. The men defeated the Retrievers
(157-85), while the women toppled both UMBC (187-50) and its ACC foe
(144-99).

The men move to 1-0 (0-0 ACC) on the young season, while the women stand
at 2-0 (1-O ACC).

Erica Smith, Jess Ward, Patrice Dason and Ashley Richter got the women
off to a good start by taking the 400 medley relay (3:53.67), while
Katie Robinson, Meg Thomson, Alli Hagan and Brianna Grover came in
second (3:57.94). Anna Linkenauger then swiped the 1000 freestyle
(10:14.02), before Lucy Lindsey won the 200 freestyle (1:53.52).

The Pack took four of the top five spots in the 50 freestyle with Dason
(24.41) winning the event and Richter, Thompson and Danielle Caruso
placing second, third and fifth respectively. In the 200 IM, Linkenauger
(2:06.41) took second as Maresa Like-Mathews (2:10.59) and Ward
(2:10.79) placed fourth and fifth.

Kristin Davies (259.40) and Chelsea Ale (257.50) took fourth and fifth
in the 1-meter dive. Later on Davies (271.35) would land third in the
3-meter, while Ale (257.80) placed fifth.

Like-Mathews (2:07.41) took third in the 200 butterfly, and Lindsey
(53.02) and Richter (53.15) placed second and third in the 100
freestyle. Erica Smith won the 200 backstroke with a 2:04.88, and
Linkenauger was way ahead of the competition in taking the 500 freestyle
on a 5:02.69.

Ward dominated the field in the 200 breaststroke, winning with a
2:20.95, before Dason, Smith, Amanda Panty and Lindsey ended the evening
by claiming the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 3:32.25.

On the men’s side, State grabbed the top three finishes in the 400
medley relay, while Stephen Mellor, Dan Forsythe, Kevin Woodhull-Smith
and Andrew Keenan came in first on the strength of a 3:24.96. Andrew
Lester (9:25.91) and Mason McGee (9:27.74) finished first and second
respectively in the 1000 freestyle, and McGee (1:42.78) and Keenan
(1:43.35) took second and third in the 200 freestyle.

Gaites Brown made a very impressive debut for the red and white, winning
the 50 freestyle on a 21.38, while Travis Martinez (21.69) placed
second. Mellor (1:51.86), Woodhull-Smith (1:54.58) and Greg Baskwell
(1:58.52) landed first, second and fourth in the 200 IM.

Austin Hampton (362.45 / 314.90), Alex Dambly (326.00 / 304.95) and
Scott Blackwelder (288.50 / 251.00) finished one-two-three in both the
3-meter and 1-meter dives.

Mike Seiferth won the 200 butterfly with a 1:53.79, while Tyler Mills
came in second on a 1:55.50. Brown followed with another victory, this
time in the 100 freestyle, on the strength of a 46.99. Allen Lee clocked
in fourth with a 48.04, and rookie Andrew Fink’s 48.22 was good for
fifth.

Mellor, (1:48.99), Woodhull-Smith (1:53.38) and newcomer Jimmy Ross
(1:55.43) finished one-two-three in the 200 backstroke, while Lester
(4:47.54) won the 500 freestyle with Ben Mechak (4:45.82) taking second.

NC State men and women’s swimming and diving will resume action in
Blacksburg, Va., against West Virginia and Virginia Tech on Saturday,
Oct. 25.