Hokies sweep Cincinnati and Xavier

Swimming & diving dominates on Friday

January 19, 2018

CINCINNATI – The No. 24/19 Virginia Tech men’s and women’s swimming & diving teams dominated on Friday evening at the Keating Aquatic Center. Tech’s men’s team downed Cincinnati, 169-74 and secured the 198-38 win over Xavier. On the women’s side, the Hokies defeated the Bearcats 183-60 and rolled past Xavier 201-35.

“Rock solid for the Hokies tonight,” said head coach Ned Skinner. “I liked our race execution and it is really nice to see some new names emerge with collegiate wins. [Danielle] Griggs, [Molly] Sheffield, [Kelly] Henry, [Maggie] Gruber, [Thomas] Hallock and [Harrison] Pierce all came forward with key wins today among others.”

Virginia Tech started the day strong, sweeping the men’s and women’s diving events to score for the Hokies early. Ashlynn Peters claimed both the 1-meter and 3-meter events for Tech, scoring 300.7 and 332.10, respectively. Miranda Eberle finished second (276.15) on the 1-meter while Ashley Buchter came in third (267.30). Buchter took second (306.85) in the 3-meter with Regan Westwood finishing third (266.25).

On the men’s side Ben Schiesl won the 1-meter with a score of 370.85 and was followed by Thomas Shinholser in second (339.8). In the 3-meter event, Jack Gigliotti won with a score of 355.75 while Shinholser was second (348.85) and Mauro Castro-Silva took third (348.25).

“I was really happy with everyone’s diving today,” said head diving coach Ron Piemonte. “We were strong on the boards and it gives us momentum heading into tomorrow’s meet.”

Tech kept the wins going as the Hokies went one, two in the women’s 200 medley relay to get the swim events started. Klaudia Nazieblo, Joelle Vereb, Maggie Gruber and Adriana Grabski took first in 1:41.45. Their teammates Emily Meilus, Erin Scott, Kayla Purcell and Danielle Griggs finished just behind with a time of 1:43.85.

Grace Kowal gave the Hokies second place points in the 1,000 free (10:10.56) while Eleanor Matheson was third (10:15.57).

The Hokies took the top spot in all of the remaining events, beginning with the 200 free where Griggs swam a 1:51.88 and was followed by Abigail Andrusin in 1:52.77. Gruber gave Tech the win in the 50 free (23.34) while Nazieblo was second in 23.74.

Tech took first and third in the 400 IM behind Kowal’s 4:26.31 and Jessica Beattie’s 4:27.08. Grabski added first place points for the Hokies in the 100 free (51.12).

Freshman Molly Sheffield recorded her first collegiate win, taking the 100 fly in 56.15 while Leah Rogers claimed second in 56.38. In the 100 back, Gruber swam a B time of 54.46 as teammate Margarita Ryan finished just behind in a second place time of 56.17.

Tech’s Reka Gyorgy swam a top time of 4:51.61 in the 500 free while Jenna Beattie took third in 5:01.81. The Hokies rounded out the individual events with a sweep of the 100 yard breaststroke. Kelly Henry led the way in 1:03.37 followed by Baillie Cameron (1:04.49) and M.J. Ulrich (1:04.98).

The Hokies wrapped up the evening with another one, two finish in relays as Vereb, Grabski, Gruber and Griggs won the 200 free relay in 1:33.27. Purcell, Nazieblo, Meilus and Andrusin finished with a time of 1:34.91.

On the men’s, the Hokies finished first in nine of the 11 events beginning with a one, two finish in the 200 medley relay. Jacob Lamparella, Thomas Hallock, Harrison Pierce and Ian Ho combined for a time of 1:30.01 while Sean Workman, Justin Edwards, Simon Shi and David Herbert recorded a 1:31.82.

Lane Stone took second in the 1,000 free (9:17.22) followed by a second place finish from Herbert in the 200 free (1:39.13). Sam Tornqvist turned in a third place time of 1:40.71 in the 200.

Hallock had the top swim in the 50 free with a time of 20.90 while teammate Lamparella finished third (21.01). Norbert Szabo followed with a top finish in the 400Im with a time of 3:56.71 with Michael Craddock taking second in 3:57.19. The Hokies’ Pierce took the 100 fly in 49.57 while Shi was third (50.53).

The Hokies swept the top-three in the 100 free as Ho led the way in 45.03. Chris Outlaw was second (46.98) followed by Collin Fiala in 47.07.

Lamparella recorded his third top-three finish of the evening, winning the 100 back in 49.74 and was followed by Cooper Pitts’ 51.16. Hassler Carroll won the 500 free (4:31.29) and Edwards wrapped up the individual events with a win and NCAA B time of 55.18 in the 100 yard breaststroke.

Tech ended the evening with a one, two finish in the 200 free relay. Ho, Herbert, Hallock and Pierce teamed up for a time of 1:20.45 while Shi, Lamparella, Szabo and Aaron Boyd took second in 1:23.35.

“I like how we will be tested on quick turnaround tomorrow with some elite Big 10 competition,” said Skinner.

The Hokies will be back in the pool tomorrow morning for a noon meet in Columbus, Ohio. Tech will face No. 11/16 Ohio State, No. 2/7 Michigan and Rutgers (women) at the Bill and Mae McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion.

For updates on Virginia Tech swimming & diving, follow the Hokies on Twitter Follow @HokiesSwimDive