Alabama
Georgia
Swimming and Diving Posts Strong Showing at Georgia
10/10/2014 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Complete Results
ATHENS, Ga. - The Alabama swimming and diving teams posted strong showings at Georgia Friday afternoon in the Crimson Tide's road and Southeastern Conference opener, tallying wins in three of the four relays and earning seven individual wins on the day as well as 10 individual runner-up finishes.
The Alabama men fell to the Bulldogs 164-128 while the Tide women lost 164-130 to the defending NCAA and SEC Champion Georgia women. Alabama's men and women both go to 1-1-0 overall and 0-1-0 in SEC competition.
The Tide men won the opening 200 medley relay with a time of 1:28.46. Sophomore Connor Oslin grabbed a lead over the Bulldogs on the opening leg while classmate Kristian Gkolomeev brought it home with a blistering 19.36 anchor leg that reeled the Bulldogs in with junior Brett Walsh and sophomore Pavel Romanov holding the middle. Gkolomeev also won the 50 freestyle for the second meet this season, posting a 19.87.
Alabama's women also got to the wall first in the 200 medley relay, posting a 1:40.76 but were disqualified due to an early takeoff. The Tide women bounced back with a second place finish in the mile from sophomore Bonnie Macdonald (16:53.65) followed by a win the 200 freestyle from junior Emma Saunders (1:48.37).
Junior Brian Westlake also picked up a runner-up finish in the mile, posting a 15:44.43 in the men's race. Freshman Luke Kaliszak earned the Alabama men's first individual victory on the day as well as the first win of his collegiate career, taking the top spot in the 100 backstroke with a 48.23.
Senior Kaylin Burchell won the 100 breaststroke for the second meet in the row, touching the wall at 1:02.13, bettering a packed field.
Alabama finished the meet strong, winning three of the last four individual events and both of the final relays. Sophomore Taylor Zablocki took first off the women's 1-meter springboard with a score of 286.80 while sophomore Dylan Marin won the men's 3-meter diving with a score of 345.75.
Freshman Mia Nonnenberg closed out the Tide's individual wins. After winning the 200 individual medley against Delta State to start the season, she doubled the distance and came out with the same results, winning the 400 IM in Athens with a 4:15.04.
Vourna, freshman Temarie Tomley, sophomore Bailey Scott and Saunders won the women's 400 freestyle with a time of 4:23.92. The Tide men finished the meet off by winning the 400 freestyle relay when Walsh, Gkolomeev, sophomore Alex Gray and freshman Will Freeman combined to a post a 3:02.04.
Alabama returns to action November 1 in Tuscaloosa when they face off against Auburn and LSU starting at 11 a.m. at the Alabama Aquatic Center. For all the latest information on the Alabama swimming and diving teams, follow AlabamaSwimDive on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
