After their upset of the Florida Gators last weekend in Gainesville, the Auburn Tigers opened the doors to the James E. Martin Aquatic Center this afternoon to face the Florida State Seminoles and Wisconsin Badgers. The tri-meet signals the last home meet for 11 Auburn seniors before they move on to SEC’s in February. The Auburn men enjoyed a victory at home, defeating Wisconsin 187-133, and Florida State, 223-76. Their female peers elimnated Florida State, 234-65, but were conquered by the visiting Badgers, 158-141.
Women’s Meet
Chase Kinney blasted a cool 21.80 as the anchor for Wisconsin’s 1:39.51 200 medley relay, besting Auburn’s mark of 1:39.63 while the Noles finished behind the Tiger B relay at 1:41.97. The Badger ladies also picked up the 1000 free with Danielle Valley’s 9:45.44, but would drop the 200 free to freshman Erin Falconer of Auburn with her touch of 1:49.26. Valley would go on to collect the 500 free (4:47.39) and the 400 IM (4:17.09) for a triple crown of the distance events.
Finishing second to Falconer in the 200 free was Dana Grindall, another Badger who earned the Big Ten team top finishes with her swims in the 100 fly (53.92) and the only sub-2 minute 200 fly of the field (1:58.86). In the 100 breast, Natasha Lloyd and Annie Lazor of Auburn cruised a pair of 1:01’s for the top two, but were denied the top three when Badger swimmer Anna Meinholz (1:03.25) clipped another Tiger and Nole swimmer Natalie Pierce (1:03.42) for third place. A similar situation occurred in the 200 edition of the race, this time with Lazor taking top honors at 2:11.86.
Wisconsin freshman Jessica Unicomb’s finish of 54.29 in the 100 back upset a field of seniors including Auburn’s Jillian Vitarius (54.46) and Sarah Reynolds (55.48) and FSU’s Bianca Spinazzola (56.16). Kinney returned for the 50 free, this time splitting a flat start 22.39 over Auburn’s Allyx Purcell (23.05), Ashton Ellzey (23.08), and FSU’s Alexi Smith (23.27). Kinney’s 49.10 in the 100 free was more than enough to put away her heat and join teammate Valley in the undefeated club.
In the last showdown between the three teams, Annie Tamblyn and Marissa Berg joined Unicomb and Kinney for a Wisconsin win in the 400 free relay. Their joint effort posted a 3:20.27 to best Auburn’s 3:21.84 and FSU’s 3:24.40.
Men’s Meet
Both of Auburn’s units put down their visitors by nearly a second in the 200 medley relay. Guided by Peter Holoda’s monster anchor of 18.93, Auburn’s A relay clipped the Noles’ 1:28.54 and the Badgers’ 1:28.63.
Matthew Hutchins, Wisconsin’s nationally ranked distance stud, raked in the 1000 free in 9:09.33 over Auburn’s Alec Morris (9:15.97) and FSU’s Calvin Bryant (9:40.13). The Badger swam half the distance later in the meet in 4:24.93 for the top finish in that swim.
The current SEC Swimmer of the Week, Michael Duderstadt, gained the Tigers two event titles over the course of the meet. His 53.39 100 breast would prevent Jason Combs (53.77) from earning the visiting Floridians their first event title, however, Combs would win the 200 breast (1:59.41) over Auburn’s Jordan Jones (2:02.14).
Duderstadt’s 43.89 in the 100 free stumped Badgers Cannon Clifton (44.03) and Brett Pinfold (44.16). Clifton would get the best of his heat in the 50 free as his 20.14 finished into the wall ahead of Auburn’s Jacob Molacek by .02 and FSU’s Jason McCormick by .07.
Auburn senior Arthur Mendes and Hugo Morris led the 100 fly with their respective touches of 47.34 and 47.86, times that bested the likes of Badger Harrison Tran (48.51) and Seminole Cole Hensley (49.04). Fellow Tiger Joe Patching registered a 1:44.47 in the 200 back to dominate three Wisconsin swimmers for victory.
The Tiger men capped the day with a resounding victory in the 400 free relay. Mendes, Holoda, Molacek, and Zach Apple hooked a 2:56.14 for the final finish over Wisconsin’s 2:57.41 and FSU’s 2:58.06. Auburn moves to 19-0 against the Seminoles in their all time dual meet record.
