Alabama Swimming and Diving Teams Split at Florida State
1/25/2004 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
The Alabama Swimming and Diving teams split today's meet at Florida State with the men coming away with a win and the women falling.
The Crimson Tide men go to 6-2-0 on the season with the win while the women fall to 5-3. Both squads will be back in the pool tomorrow in Southeastern Conference action facing the Florida Gators in Gainesville.
"We stepped it up out there today," Alabama head coach Eric McIlquham said. "We raced hard and were hard to handle. It was good to see especially on the road and on their senior day."
The Tide posted a 137-103 win on the men's side and a 149-93 loss for the women. Alabama was bolstered during the meet by over 50 Crimson Tide swimming and diving alumni who had made the trip to Tallahassee.
"It was great to see all our alumni, cheering on the current team and getting us going," McIlquham said.
Freshman Nicole Weatherman got the women on track, winning the 1000 freestyle by 13 seconds. In the 200 freestyle, sophomore Melina Bassino out-touched FSU's Loren Hansen 1:51.75-1:51.86 to keep the Tide winning. Weatherman came back later in the meet to win the 500 freestyle with a 4:55.57.
Senior Lane Bassham kept her undefeated streak intact, winning both the one-meter (299.18) and the three-meter (322.95). Bassham has not lost this season.
Freshman Amanda Gilbert, Weatherman, Bassino and sophomore Kathryn Hallquist combined to win the meet's last event, the 800 freestyle relay, with a 7:36.89.
On the men's side, freshman Igor Erhartic picked up the Tide's first win of the day and his first collegiate win, posting a 1:38.36 in the 200 freestyle. In the 50 freestyle, Darren Erasmus posted a 20.97 to pick up the win. Erasmus came back to post a dominating win the 100 freestyle, bettering the field by nearly a second, posting a 44.68.
In the 400 IM, Alabama went 1-2-3 led by freshman Tim Hansen, picking up his first collegiate win with a 3:57.37 effort. Senior Ben Worby was second followed by junior Franck Southon. Southon also won the 100 backstroke, going 51.80 on the day.
Junior Stewart Smith won the one-meter diving event with a 304.50.
Sophomore distance ace JT Jones switched gears, coming up with a win in the 100 butterfly, touching at 49.50. Worby won the 100 breaststroke with a 56.90.
Jones, Erhartic, senior James Willcox and sophomore Chris Flamion closed out the meet with a win in the 800 freestyle relay, touching at 6:46.56.
