Zoie Hartman Triples as UGA Men & Women Defeat UNC

UNC VS. GEORGIA

• October 25, 2019
• Chapel Hill, NC
• SCY
• Results

WOMEN’S MEET

• SCORES – Georgia 176, UNC 124

Georgia freshman Zoie Hartman is quickly establishing herself as one of the top breaststrokers in the nation — this afternoon, she went 1:00.84 to win the 100 breast, tying her for seventh in the country this season. Her teammate Sofia Carnevale was second in 1:01.99.

In the 200 breast, Hartman led a barrage of Bulldog breaststrokers, going 2:12.32 as Georgia went 1-2-3-4. Danielle Della Torre (2:13.97), Carnevale (2:14.77), and Ashley McCauley (2:15.86) followed. Not done yet, Hartman finished on top in the 200 IM at the end of the meet, going 1:59.50 there.

In the 200 fly, Dakota Luther excelled, torching the field with a 1:57.39 ahead of UNC’s Bryanna Cameron (1:58.73) and Bulldog Courtney Harnish (1:59.38). Luther also took the 100 fly (54.59).

Harnish had only the 100 back and 100 breast in between her previous event, the 200 free, which she won in 1:48.55 over UNC’s Emma Cole (1:49.15). Later in the afternoon, Harnish would lead a 1-2 UGA sweep in the 500 free (4:51.44) with Olivia Anderson (4:53.20). Anderson won the 1000 free, too (9:51.38).

Sophie Lindner was strong for the Tar Heels, sweeping the backstroke races. She was 53.83 to lead  a 1-2 sweep in the 100 with fellow sophomore Grace Countie (53.94), and she went on to win the 200 back with a 1:57.88. The two teamed up on UNC’s 200 medley relay, with Countie going 24.91 on back and Lindner 24.42 on fly, as the Tar Heels got past UGA there, 1:40.58 to 1:40.67.

The Heels also won the 400 free relay by over a second, 3:21.77 to Georgia’s 3:22.79.

MEN’S MEET

• SCORES – Georgia 163, UNC 137

UGA freshman Harry Homans notched two wins for the Bulldogs, sweeping the backstroke events. He was 49.49 in the 100 ahead of teammate and fellow freshman Zach Hils (49.62) and then 1:46.27 to take the 200. Homans also led the field when it came to backstroke splits on the 200 medley relay (22.92), though UGA would drop that event to the Heels.

UNC’s Jack Messenger had a huge meet. The junior, a sprinter, has been 20.34 in his lifetime in the 50 free, from the 2019 ACC Championships. Today, though, he shot out to a win in the 50 free at 20.46, fairly close to that best, and then anchored UNC’s winning 200 medley relay in 19.82, well out-splitting UGA’s anchor and helping their relay to a first-event win at 1:28.95 over UGA’s 1:30.22.

Messenger wasn’t even on UNC’s 200 free relay at ACCs last season, but his 19.82 split just now puts him right behind their two slowest splits from ACCs (19.78, 19.80). He went on to lead-off UNC’s 400 free relay in 45.08, and they combined for a 3:00.21 to take down UGA (3:01.18). In an interview with the Tar Heels’ athletic department, Messenger commended the new leadership from head coach Mark Gangloff, whose presence was already impactful during the pre-season.

“He’d be getting up on the blocks with us,” said Messenger, “working on the super meticulous details and I’ve started to see the results already.” Messenger also referenced the fact that UNC got blown out by UGA in their meet last year (this interview was conducted prior to today’s meet), and this year’s meet was certainly far closer.

The other big performances for UNC came from Valdas Abaliksta, who took the breaststroke races, winning the 100 in 54.94 and the 200 in 1:59.65.

At the end of the day, the scores tilted in UGA’s favor. There were three more Bulldog double winners: Grant Norgan went 1:37.86 in the 200 free and then 4:27.14 in the 500 free,  Camden Murphy was 49.04 in the 100 fly and 1:48.35 in the 200 fly, and Andrew Abruzzo was 9:01.71 in the 1000 and 1:48.78 in the 200 IM.