Swimcloud

Texas A&M Sweeps LSU

Texas A&M Men

The Texas A&M men’s swimming and diving team upset Southeastern Conference rival No. 22 LSU 158.5-141.5 on Saturday at the LSU Natatorium.
 
The win gives Texas A&M a 3-1 advantage over LSU since the Aggies’ move to the SEC in 2012. Aggie head coach Jay Holmes is now an impressive 9-3 against the Tigers for his career.
 
“There is a great history between our programs,” Holmes said of the rivalry between Texas A&M and LSU. “Even before we joined the SEC, as long as I've been at A&M, this meet has brought out the best in both teams. Today was another one of those great college dual meets.  This was a very close meet.”
 
The Aggies got off to a hot start with a win in the 200 medley relay; the team of sophomore Brock Bonetti, sophomore Mauro Castillo, sophomore Justin Morey and junior Jacob Gonzales finished the race in 1:28.44. “Winning the medley relay was huge for us,” Holmes said. “From there we were never behind in points, but they kept challenging us at every event. Texas A&M finished off the day with a strong showing in another relay, with junior Turker Ayar, Morey, Bonetti, and Gonzales finishing the 400 free relay in 3:02.04 for second place.
 
Texas A&M provided a strong showing in freestyle events, winning three out of five. Senior Mateo Muzek took first in both of his freestyle races, swimming the 1,000 free in 9:28.57 and the 500 free in 4:33.99. Gonzales swam the 50 free in 20.41 for first place honors. Senior Antoine Marc picked up third place in the 200 free (1:40.74) and junior Turker Ayar did the same in the 100 free (45.75) to wrap up freestyle events for the day.
 
Bonetti swept the backstroke races with a come-from-behind win in the 100 back in 48.11 and a victory in the 200 back in 1:44.39. Also sweeping his specialty was Castillo with victories in the 100 breast in 54.63 and the 200 breast in 1:58.55.
 
The Aggies had a freshman diver top the leaderboard in both springboard events. Sam Thornton took the one-meter with a 345.30 while classmate Skylar Lake won the three-meter with a 357.60. Thornton finished in second place with a 335.25 in the three-meter.
 
The Aggies will resume action next Friday, January 29 at 7 p.m. to host the SMU Mustangs for a senior day meet at the Student Recreation Natatorium. There will be a special ceremony honoring the senior members of the men’s team.


Texas A&M Women

The No. 6 Texas A&M women’s swimming and diving team defeated the No. 23 LSU Tigers 181-119 on Saturday in the Aggies’ final swimming tune-up before the 2016 Southeastern Conference Championships.
 
The victory stretched the Aggies’ winning streak over the Tigers to 15 straight, and Texas A&M closed out its 2015-16 dual meet schedule with a 7-2 overall record.
 
Texas A&M enjoyed two first place victories in freestyle events. Freshman Sydney Pickrem won the 1,000-yard freestyle in 10:05.61 to top the leaderboard. Junior Sycerika McMahon grabbed first place in the 500 free with a 4:50.88. Pickrem also touched first in the 200 IM in a time of 2:01.34.
 
Senior Claire Brandt won both backstroke events, swimming the 100 back in 55.20 and the 200 back in 1:58.87. The Aggies also won both breaststroke events. McMahon won the 100 breast in 1:01.58. Sophomores Bethany Galat (2:12.86), Esther Gonzalez (2:14.85) and Jorie Caneta (2:15.13) finished 1-2-3 in the 200 breast.
 
Junior Sarah Gibson swept the butterfly races with a 53.56 win the 100 fly and a 1:57.04 victory in the 200 fly.
 
Junior Madison Hudkins continued her impressive season with a sweep in the diving competition, winning the one-meter with a 303.30 and the three-meter with a 340.43.
 
The Aggies began and ended the day with second place finishes in relays. The team of sophomore Lisa Bratton, McMahon, Gibson, and freshman Lexie Lupton swam the 200 medley relay in 1:41.32 to begin the day while Brandt, freshman Natasha Gvakharia, McMahon, and Lupton wrapped up the meet with a 3:21.58 finish in the 400 free relay.


LSU

Juniors Leah Troskot and Brandon Goldman won two events in LSU swimming and diving’s loss to Texas A&M Saturday afternoon at the LSU Natatorium.

“We raced well today,” LSU swimming coach Dave Geyer said. “I knew coming in on the men’s side it would come down to some close races and finishes. This meet came down to less than a second. I really like how we stayed focused throughout the meet and closed it out with wins in the relay.”

The No. 22 women’s team (9-1, 2-1 SEC) fell, 119-181, to the sixth-ranked Aggies. Troskot swept the sprint freestyle events for the third-consecutive week. Troskot won the 50 free in 23.20 and 100 free in 50. 45.

The Lady Tigers bookmarked the individual events with victories in the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay. The team of Haylee Knight, Colleen O’Neil, Kara Kopcso and Troskot opened the meet with a time of 1:40.99. Troskot, Knight, Megan Cox and Danielle Stirrat closed the meet out in 3:21. 47.

In her first collegiate meet, freshman Lizzie Cui earned her NCAA Zone Diving qualifying score. Cui finished second on one-meter with a score of 288.08 and third on three-meter with a score of 286.73. Senior Cassie Weil finished second on three-meter and third on one-meter. 

In her final home meet, Cox touched the wall first in the 200 free with a time of 1:49.38. Cox also finished second in the 100 free (50.53) to complete the 1-2 finish.

Kopcso, the reigning Southeastern Conference Female Swimmer of the Week, finished second in the 100 fly (53.81) and 200 fly (1:57.07). Kopcso also finished third in the 200 IM with a time of 2:04.18.

Seniors Stirrat and Weber also had strong performance for LSU. Stirrat finished third in the 100 back (55.89) and 200 back (2:00.07). Weber finished third in the 200 fly in 2:01.61.

The No. 23 LSU men just narrowly fell to the Aggies, 141.5-158.5. Goldman led the way for the Tigers with a victory in the 400 IM (3:55.28) and second-place finish in the 200 back (1:46.68). The junior also touched the wall first (1:47.91) in a 1-2 finish followed by Alarii Levreault-Lopez (1:48.38) in the 200 fly.

Senior Alex Linge was a part another 1-2 finish for the men. Linge (44.29) finished first and freshman Tyler Harper (45.34) touched the wall second in the 100 free for the Tigers. Linge also finished second in the 50 free with a time of 20.44.

Logan Rysemus and Jake Markham too earned LSU’s other individual victories. Rysemus finished first in the 100 fly (47.88) and also finished second in the 100 back (48.13). Markham earned the victory in the 200 free (1:39.45) and also finished third in the 500 free (4:39.44).

Will Arthur, Silas Dejean and Garrett House finished second individually for the Tigers. Arthur touched the second in the 200 free (1:40.12) to give LSU a 1-2 finish. Dejean finished second in the 100 breast in 55.55. House added a second-place finish in the 200 free (2:01.17) and third-place finish in the 100 breast (55.71)

The team of Linge, Rysemus, Harper and Markham closed things out with a victory in the 400 free relay in 2:59.65.

In diving, freshman Matt McClellan finished third on one-meter with a score of 334.43. Junior Andrew Suchla finished second for LSU on one-meter with a score of 316.43.

“I thought we competed well for the most part,” LSU diving coach Doug Shaffer said. “Our energy and focus was all in the right place. We’re not expected to peak yet. We had great development today, which is obviously positive. I’m really proud of what Cassie and Allie (Alter) have done in their career and today.”

The meet concludes the home slate for the Tigers. The women’s team returns to action Jan. 30-31 in Houston, Texas. The quad meet will feature the teams from Houston, Rice and Tulane.

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