UNC Asheville vs Georgia Southern (W)
- October 29-30, 2021
- Asheville, N.C.
- Results
Courtesy: UNC Asheville Athletics
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville swimming and diving team continued its winning ways Saturday defeating Georgia Southern by a score of 151-92. With the victory, Asheville improved their best start in program history as they moved to 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the conference.
“I think our team came into this meet looking forward to it, and we were really amped to compete,” Abby Parks said afterward. “Words can’t express how we feel after becoming the first team in program history to start a season 6-0.”
The matchup between the Eagles and Bulldogs began Friday with diving from the Jewish Community Center in Asheville. Freshman Morgan Coughlen continued her stellar start to her collegiate career, breaking the school and freshman records for the second time in as many meets with a point total of 221.40. Coughlen was joined on the boards by fellow Bulldogs Jade Canady and Jessica Brock. Canady placed third (188.60 points) in the same event that Coughlen had her record-breaking outing. Brock, meanwhile, improved her point total from the first to the second running of 1-meter diving 150.20 to 156.70
Facing a 22-16 deficit heading into Saturday’s action, the Bulldogs needed some stellar outings from their swimmers to maintain their historic start, and they received just that. Asheville not only won eight of the 11 events, but it also posted three of the top four times in seven of those contests as well.
Asheville began the swimming portion by tallying the top time in the 400-yard medley relay (3:53.12) thanks to the work of Nora Segurola Larrinaga, Mikaela Fullerton, Chloe McDonald, and Delaney Carlton. Carlton continued her stellar season, taking the top spot in both the 50-yard freestyle (23.85) and 100-yard freestyle (51.86), while Larrinaga notched an individual event win as well in the 200-yard backstroke (2:05.81).
The Bulldogs also received some stellar scoring from their newest members. Freshmen Caitlin Hefner (1650y free – 17:31.06), Grace Adams (200y free – 1:57.39), Riley Edmundson (200y fly – 2:08.60) posted first-place nods in their given events to help the cause.
Finally, the Bulldogs closed out the day by winning the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:38.51. The quartet of Jessie Frank, Larrinaga, McDonald, and Parks continued the string of stellar work by the Bulldogs in relay events. Of the eight relay events the Bulldogs have competed in this season, they have come away with the top spot in seven of those.
“It was a great meet,” Christa Jones said. “We started well and kept that energy all the way through. It’s crazy and surreal to think about our start to the season because this has never been done before.”
Asheville will return to action on the weekend of November 19-21. The diving team will compete in a three-day meet at Liberty, while the swimming squad will take part in the Fall Frenzy Invitational hosted by Queens University in Charlotte.
Courtesy: Georgia Southern Athletics
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Georgia Southern swim and dive impressed in their first meet in over three weeks. The Eagles scored 92 points total, throughout the two days, as well as winning the diving portion of the two-day meet.
“Really proud of how our women competed this weekend,” Head coach Amanda Caldwell said. “Our divers got us off to a good start, especially in their second round of 1m. I loved the not back down attitude they put out there. The late October through mid-January grind of the season is here and our swimmers got out of their comfort zones to give their best effort in each race.”
In the 1-meter dive, Anya Weber placed second in the first event, scoring 201.20 points, while freshman Marissa Santos and Megan Phifer placed fourth and fifth. In event two, Georgia Southern would place first and second, as Anya Weber (226.15) and Marissa Santos (225.90) took the top spots.
On day two, Zurine Clavo placed second in the 1650 Freestyle posting a time of 18:03.09. In the 200 Freestyle, Emma Sutton took home a third-place finish, posting a time of 1:58.51. Abby Wenham placed second in the 50-yard freestyle, swimming a time of 24.17.
Emma Scruggs won the 400-yard IM on Saturday, swimming a time of 4:41.50, beating the field by nearly four full seconds.
Hannah Merrill placed second in the 200-yard butterfly, swimming a time of 2:09.47 in the event. Denise Quentin posted a time of 54.07 in the 100-yard freestyle, placing third. Zurine Clavo picked up a victory in the 500-yard freestyle, posting a time of 5:10.95.
