An All-Florida battle is taking place in Tallahassee as Florida State, Florida Gulf Coast, West Florida and Florida Southern performed on Friday.
Florida State Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida State swimming and diving teams lead three of the four duals after the first of two sessions in the quad meet at the FGCU Aquatics Center in Fort Myers, Fla.
The Florida State women are ahead in two duals, 126-41 over West Florida and 136-31 against Florida Southern. FSU and FGCU are tied at 83.50 after 10 events while the men lead Florida Southern, 120-47.
“The women are fighting hard,” FSU head coach Neal Studd said. “Last year at this point in the same meet, they were down by 50 points, so to be tied is a huge achievement. I am very proud of them and we’re set up to battle tomorrow.”
The women started the session off by tying for first in the 200 medley relay behind the team of juniors Ariel Barber, Natalie Pierce, Tayla Lovemore and Alexi Smith with a time of 1:40.06.
After the Eagles swept the 400 IM, the Seminoles responded with a one-two finish in the 200 free, as sophomore Michelle Turek picked up her second-straight dual meet win in the race, touching with a time of 1:49.73, while senior Lydia Ware grabbed second with a career best time of 1:49.81.
Ware followed that swim by competing in the next race, the 50 free, touching second at 23.10.
“Lydia is swimming great right now,” Studd said. “She is really making a difference in the meet.”
Florida State surrendered one-two punches in both the 200 fly and 200 back before junior Alex Wittman won the 500 free with a time of 4:55.09 while senior Katy Stringfield (4:57.28) and Turek (4:57.53) battled for crucial third and fourth place points.
Riding the momentum, the Seminoles added a one-two punch in the 200 breast as junior Christina Loh touched with a time of 2:16.82 and Pierce followed in second at 2:18.13.
Florida State finished the night by placing second and third in the 400 free relay, as the team of Ware, Lovemore, Turek and junior Brenna Ruth took second at 3:22.75 in front of freshman Nika Blank, sophomores Leila Johnston, Fabiana Ingram and junior Alexi Smith (3:26.07).
In diving, junior Blaire Mulka led the team on 1-meter, scoring third place points behind a tally of 273.85.
The men earned victories in eight of the nine races, including five one-two showings.
“The guys are doing some great things,” Studd said. “They’re dominating the meet. We had some great time drops from the UF meet and we’re very excited about how they’re doing.”
Starting with the 200 medley relay, the team of seniors Stefan Stojmenovic, Jason Coombs, sophomore Kanoa Kaleoaloha and junior Chad Mylin (1:28.21) held off the team of juniors Connor Kalisz, Matt Ankerholz, Jake Urbano and senior Jason McCormick (1:30.74), finishing first and second.
Rookie Griffin Alaniz picked up his first collegiate dual me victory in the 400 IM, touching with a time of 4:01.00 and Kaleoaloha followed with a win in the 200 free with a time of 1:38.78.
The Seminoles continued to show their dominance in the 50 free, as Mylin and McCormick finished first and second for the second consecutive meet, touching with times of 20.13 and 20.37 respectively. Junior Joseph Plechy rounded out the sweep by placing third with a time of 21.00.
Urbano (1:50.35), Stojmenovic (1:53.49) and sophomore Jonathan Ratliff (1:53.73) swept the 200 fly before Kalisz (1:47.16) and Alaniz (1:52.06) teamed up for the one-two punch in the 200 back.
Junior Calvin Bryant cruised to victory in the 500 free with a time of 4:30.55, while Urbano followed in second with a time of 4:43.02.
Florida State closed out the session with a win in the 400 free relay behind the team of McCormick, Kaleoaloha, sophomore Emir Muratovic and Mylin with a mark of 2:59.90.
The second session will start on Saturday at 10 a.m. and will contain the 400 medley relay, 200 IM, 1000 free, 100 fly, 100 free, 100 back, 100 breast, 200 free relay and 3-meter diving.
