Georgia Tech Men Beat South Carolina in Final Relay Nail Biter

GEORGIA TECH V. SOUTH CAROLINA

• January 19, 2019
• Hosts: Georgia Tech
• Results
• Scores
  • WOMEN: South Carolina 193, Georgia Tech 107
  • MEN: Georgia Tech 153, South Carolina 147

WOMEN’S MEET

The South Carolina women had four double winners, led by freshman Hallie Kinsey. Kinsey won both fly events, going 55.14 in the 100 and 2:02.14 in the 200, adding a 2nd place finish in the 200 IM (2:04.77). In the 200 IM, Emma Barksdale was 2:01.19 to outdo Kinsey, while she took the 100 breast (1:02.11). Barksdale’s 28.01 breaststroke split was key in their 200 medley relay win, too.

Emily Cornell swept the backstrokes for the Gamecocks, going 56.09 in the 100 and 1:59.82 in the 200. Christina Lappin got the job done in the sprint free, going 23.32 in the 50 and then 50.71 in the 100, edging GT’s Iris Wang in the latter (50.74).

Wang would get one of a few wins for GT, going 1:50.14 in the 200 free. Kristen Hepler was 2:18.30 in the 200 breast for the win, and Emily Ilgenfritz posted a 4:55.98 to claim the 500 free.

MEN’S MEET

The men’s meet was incredibly close, ultimately coming down to the final relay.

GT had five different swimmers with one win, and despite not having anyone win multiple events, their depth put them into position to claim the win going into the final relay. Things swung in the Yellow Jackets’ favor before the first diving break, as they went 1-2-3 in the 200 fly and then 1-2-3 in the 50 free.

Tim Slanschek took the 200 fly for GT at 1:48.28, just ahead of teammates Clay Hering (1:48.33) and Caio Pumputis (1:48.92). 4th was Fynn Minuth for South Carolina, completely shut out with a 1:49.01. Corben Miles, who split a 19.64 on GT’s 200 medley relay, was 20.05 to lead the charge in the 50 free.

Minuth, despite his being swept in the 200 fly, swam to two individual wins. He was 4:28.98 to take the 500 free, and 1:38.20 to win the 200 free. His teammate Lionel Khoo, meanwhile, won all three of his individual events. Khoo was 54.78 to take the 100 breast, 2:03.12 in the 200 breast, and 1:50.39 to win the 200 IM.

Pumputis won the 100 fly at 48.96, notably not swimming his top events (breast and IM) at this meet. Going into the final relay, South Carolina led the team race, 143 to 140. Georgia Tech dominated with a 1-3 finish, and their A went 2:58.79, winning by five seconds over South Carolina’s A, and thus claiming the win.