WRITTEN BY SHARON ROBB
January 8, 2011
Florida State freshmen Tiffany Oliver and Tyler Sell led the Seminoles to a sweep of Atlantic Coast Conference foe Georgia Tech and UNC-Wilmington Saturday in Tallahassee.
It was the women’s team second conference win and men’s team first conference win.
Oliver won the 50-yard freestyle in 23.60 seconds and 100-yard freestyle in 51.73 to lead FSU to a 181-111 win over George Tech and 174.5-111.5 victory over UNC-Wilmington.
Sell won the 1,000-yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle in 4:34.18 to lead the men’s team to a 166.5-128.5 victory to improve its’ all-time record against the Yellow Jackets to 31-1.
The men also defeated UNC-Wilmington, 189-100.
All-American Rob Holderness and All-ACC swimmer Stephanie Sarandos combined for five victories with Sarandos winning three events.
“I’m tired just watching these guys, this is the hardest time of the season,” FSU coach Neil Harper said. “We are putting in as much work as we can. We are kind of overloading them. We are challenging them mentally and physically, it is really tough.
“So to come away with two wins against two very respectful teams that are going to do well at the end of the year is good for us. This is the way a good ACC team needs to prepare to go to the ACC Championship.”
The Seminoles next host Clemson in another ACC matchup on January 15.
Florida Tops Georgia Tech
University of Florida posted several NCAA qualifying times during its sweep of the Georgia Tech men’s and women’s teams in Gainesville on Friday.
The Gators won 27 of 28 events including the first 17 races. The women’s team won 169-106 and men won 164.5-128.5.
“We swam well overall,” Gators coach Gregg Troy said. “We maintained our focus during winter break and trained tough for this meet. I was pleased with how we competed today.”
Florida women won 169-106 and men’s team won 164.5-128.5.
SOFLO’s Taylor McKnight, 18, of Florida was third in the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:27.99 and seventh in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:09.95.
She also swam the second leg of the Gators “C” 200-yard medley relay that finished fourth in 1:47.96. The Gators took three of the top four relay places.
The Gators will host Florida Atlantic University on January 15th.
Indiana Avenges Michigan Loss, Moodie Wins
The No. 14 Indiana women bounced back from an October loss to Michigan with a 157-127 Big Ten conference victory in Bloomington, Ind. The Indiana men also won, 163-137.
SOFLO’s Natasha Moodie, 20, of Michigan won the 50-yard freestyle in 23.27 and was second in the 100-yard freestyle in 51.63. She also swam anchor legs on the Wolverines 200-yard medley relay team that finished second in 1:43.03 and 400-yard freestyle relay that was also second in 3:25.69.
Indiana freshman Brittney Phelan, 18, also of SOFLO, was eighth in both the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:22.29 and 100-yard butterfly in 1:07.52.
SOFLO’s Nicholas Schwab, 20, of Indiana was seventh in the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:14.79, ninth in the 200-yard individual medley in 1:59.46 and swam anchor leg on the 400-yard freestyle relay that was sixth in 3:08.68.
West Virginia Tops Pittsburgh
SOFLO’s Kyle Bandy of West Virginia finished third in the 100-yard butterfly in 51.44 and third in the 200-yard butterfly in 1:53.17 as the West Virginia men’s team topped Big East opponent Pitt Panthers, 194-104 for the second consecutive year in Morgantown, W.Va.
Bandy, 19, swam third leg on WVU’s “C” 200-yard medley relay team that finished fourth in 1:35.63.
Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.com.
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