The Utah men’s and women swimming and diving teams split with Denver this Friday as the No. 24-ranked Ute men’s squad defeated Denver, 178-120 but the women fell to the No.23-ranked Denver 156-144.
The men are currently undefeated this season. The team improved to 7-0 overall on the season and 2-0 in Pac-12 meets and had11 first place finishes. The women are 3-6 overall this season and 0-4 in Pac-12 meets. The women managed to finish withs seven first place finishes.
“This was a good, hard competition. We know it every time we faced Denver. I am proud of the way our kids raced,” said Utah head coach Joe Dykstra. “We have had a brutal month of training. They are not feeling fresh. Their times are very good because we are tired and beat up getting ready for the championships meets at the end. I’m proud of the way we fought through that. We were a little short handed on the women’s side today and still managed to make it very close meet against the No-23 team in the nation.”
“The guys haven't beat Denver since 2006. To stay undefeated in the season is a big deal. I asked the guys before the meet when the last time Utah beat Denver in a meet and they answered, in unison, 2006. They were focused, hungry. They wanted to stay undefeated.”
The Ute men opened up the meet with a first place finish in the 400 medley relay as the team of Kristian Kron, Jack Burton, Alex Fernandes and Nick Soedel touched in with a time of 3:21.89. Soedel would later claim the first place spot in the 200 free (1:38.63) as well as in the 100 free (44.41).
Kron also took first in the 200 back with a time of 1:49.42. He beat out Denver’s Anton Loncar by .57. Loncar touched in with a time of 1:49.99.
In the 1,000 free, Bence Kiraly claimed the second place spot with a time of 9:21.31. Following Kiraly was Brandon Shreeve in third (9:37.31).
Kiraly also took second in the 500 free with a time of 4:31.07. Shreeve took third in the event (4:37.92).
In a close race with Denver’s Roy Bornman, it was Kron who took first in the 100 back with a time of 50.62. Bornman touched in second with a time of 50.89. Kron also took home the win in the 400 IM with a time of 4:00.13.
It went one, two, three in the 50 free. Taking first was Alex Fernandes with a time of 21.13 followed by Sean Bloore in second (21.74) and Alex Brown taking third (21.88). Fernandes also claimed the top spot in the 100 fly with a time of 49.11.
In the 200 breast, Jack Burton touched in first with a time of 2:05.70. Brandon Young took second (2:06.99) with Ganem Tebet in third (2:07.61).
Burton took second in the 100 breast (57.99) with Young in third (58.19) and Quillian Oak in fourth (58.73).
Taking second in the 200 fly was Luis Macias with a time of 1:52.09 with David Fraser in third (1:54.10).
In the 200 free relay, it was team of Soedel, Fernandes, Bloore and Kiraly who took home the win with a time of 1:21.75.
Claiming the first win for the women was Stina Colleou in the 100 breast with a time of 1:05.12. Following her was Brianna Francis in second (1:05.36). Colleou also took first in the 200 breast with a time of 2:19.46.
Also taking first for the women was Petra Soininen in the 200 fly with a time of 2:03.77. Madeline Jamora also took first in the 50 free (23.83). Soininen also took second in the 100 fly with a time of 56.14.
Team of Megan Kawaguchi, Colleou, Soininen and Guiliana Gigliotti touched in second in the 400 medley with a time of 3:47.58. Taking second in the relay was Shayla Archer, Brianna Francis, Melissa Paahk and Madeline Jamora with a time of 3:47.61.
In the 50 free, Gigliotti took third (24.06). Gigliotti also took third in the 100 free with a time of 52.43.
In the 200 back, Hailey Pabst claimed the third place spot with a time of 2:05.48 followed by Kawaguchi in fourth (2:06.20). Kawaguchi also had a second place finish in the 100 back with a time of 57.06.
Maddie Meisel touched in third in the 500 free (5:03.55) as well as in the 1,000 free (10:24.58).
Taking fourth in the 400 IM for the Utes was Kylie Boyce with a time of 4:36.58. Dorien Butter also took fourth in the 200 free (1:54.25) with Hailey Pabst trailing in fifth (1:54.69) and Maryssa McArthur in sixth (1:56.50).
Butter, Jamora, Rhianna Williams and Gigliotti teamed together to finish out the meet with a first place finish in the 200 free relay with a time of 1:35.34.
In diving, Jasmine Matkovic took first in the three-meter event with a score of 304.20. Amanda Casillas followed in second (290.03) with Lauren Hall in third (274.88).
Lauren Hall took home her first collegiate win in the one-meter with a score of 281.48 and also recorded her personal bet in the event. Also in the event was second place Amanda Casillas (281.10) and Jasmine Matkovic in third (269.18).
Jacob Crayne claimed the top spot in the three-meter event with a score of 356.18. He took second in the one-meter event with a score of 301.28.
“That was our best meet overall as a team. The girls did awesome. Lauren had her best meet ever as a collegian and she won her first collegian meet which is great. She got her zone scores and personal bests on both events. Im really proud of her coming through and diving really well. Jacob had a great meet. He was injured last week and toughed it out and ended up winning three-meter.”
The Utes swimming team will take a break for a week and will return to the pool on Feb. 6 where the Ute women will host Oregon State at the Ute Natatorium. Both teams will then host rival BYU the next day, Feb. 7.
The Utah diving team will be competing next Friday, Jan. 30 where they will travel to Colorado Springs, Colo. to compete in the Air Force Diving Invitational.
