The #3 Florida Gator men and women looked every bit an elite team in topping another big-name program, Auburn (#8 for men, #14 for women) in a home dual meet.
The Florida men were nothing short of dominant, going 1-2-3 in three of the first four events and seeming to win almost every touchout that didn’t involve all-world Auburn sprinter Marcelo Chierighini.
The Gator women once again got a big contribution from senior Elizabeth Beisel, who won three different 200 yard races without being seriously challenged at all. Auburn senior and defending NCAA champ Olivia Scott was not competing, as she’s currently taking time away from the program.
The scores reflect some exhibitioning on the part of the Gators, but the women won 173.5-124.5, while the men triumphed 178-119.
Kahlia Warner swept diving for the Lady Gators, scoring 304.42 on 1-meter and 320.10 on 3-meter. John Santeiu did likewise for the visiting Auburn men, with a 342.00 1-meter score and a 375.90 on the higher board.
The Auburn women touched out Florida in the 200 medley relay to open the swimming events, going 1:40.89 to Florida’s 1:41.06. Auburn was powered by a 22.34 anchor leg from Allyx Purcell, who came from behind to steal the win.
The Florida men answered right back with a touchout of their own, going 1:28.00 to Auburn’s 1:28.37. Bradley deBorde’s 19.1 anchor was the big difference maker, with Auburn sprint stud Marcelo Chierighini manning the butterfly leg for the Tigers.
But after the early traded blows, Florida dominated the next few events. Alicia Matheiu went 9:47.83 leading a 1-2-3 finish in the 1000 free, and Arthur Frayler did the same for the men with his 9:02.22. Lindsey McKnight was 1:48.92 to blow away the field in the 200 free, another 1-2 finish for Florida. Then Marcin Cieslak went 1:36.92 to touch out teammate Pawel Werner‘s 1:36.97 in the second-straight top-3 sweep for the Gator men.
Auburn’s Emily Bos went 53.87 in a gutsy 100 back win, holding off Florida’s Sinead Russell (53.89). Amazingly, the Gator men went 1-2-3 once again in the 100 back, led by freshman Jack Blyzinskyj‘s 47.57.
Hilda Luthersdottir was 1:02.45 for an easy 100 breaststroke win for the Gators, and the dynamic duo of Eduardo Solaeche-Gomez and Matt Elliott combined to sweep the top two spots in the men’s event. Solaeche-Gomez was 54.54 for the win.
Elizabeth Beisel went 1:57.82 in the 200 fly, yet again showing off her versatility in her senior season before the Gator men returned to 1-2-3 sweeping with Sebastien Rousseau, Connor Signorin and Dan Wallace in the men’s 200 fly. Rousseau was an impressive 1:45.51.
The 50 frees were tight battles on both sides, with Natalie Hinds going 22.65 to Allyx Purcell’s 22.70 for a Gator women’s win and Auburn countering with Marcelo Chierighini. The defending NCAA runner-up went 19.71 to beat Bradley deBorde‘s 19.84.
Bos took home her second win with a 49.55 in the 100 free. Behind her, Purcell and Hinds tied for second with 49.71s. On the men’s side, Chierighini was once again the victor, going 43.81 to beat Pawel Werner and deBorde.
Beisel won in another stroke, taking the 200 back with a 1:55.21. She was practically unchallenged, though Auburn did take spots 2-4. Joe Patching gave the Auburn men two in a row by winning the 200 back in 1:43.81 over Corey Main. Unfortunately for Auburn, Hilda Luthersdottir returned to nab the 200 breast with a 2:15.77, and this time the male Gator breaststrokers traded places with Matt Elliott topping Eduardo Solaeche-Gomez 1:57.57 to 1:57.88.
The Florida women swept the top four spots (although fourth was exhibitioned) in the women’s 500 free, led by freshman Danielle Valley and her 4:47.74. The men put together yet another 1-2-3 of their own and Andrea D’Arrigo went a blazing 4:21.86 to crush the field.
In the 100 fly, Auburn junior Megan Fonteno topped Florida’s Ellese Zalewski with a 54.94, but Marcin Cieslak’s 47.68 was too much for the Auburn men to handle.
Elizabeth Beisel won the 200 IM after pacing the 200 back and fly, going 1:59.20 to win by 6 seconds. In the men’s race, Eduardo Solaeche-Gomez went a speedy 1:46.86, buoyed by a 29.7 breaststroke split to give Florida one more win.
The final 400 free relays both went to Florida in touchouts, with Ellese Zalewski holding off a charging Auburn anchor to win 3:19.92 to 3:20.13, and Sebastien Rousseau doing the same for the men, who won 2:56.19 to 2:56.30.
Where has Georgia Hohmann been all season? She was supposed to be joining the gators this fall and is 1:01/2:09 LC backstroker.
All the replays here.
https://new.livestream.com/floridaswimnetwork3/auburnvsuf