The Virginia Tech men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams split with rival Virginia on Saturday at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center.
Tech’s men knocked off the 21st-ranked Cavaliers 218-133 while the Hokies No. 25 women fell to UVA’s 11th-ranked team, 189.5-163.5.
“This was our most balanced team ever in a dual meet versus Virginia,” said head coach Ned Skinner. “Every specialty represented us well and our coaches should be commended for their hard work in keeping the focus as we come off a very difficult training trip. Ian Ho, Lane Stone, Norbert Szabo and Jack Gigliotti all provided key sparks for us on the men’s side. Klaudia Nazieblo, Reka Gyorgy, Joelle Vereb, Emily Meilus and Ashlynn Peters performances really gave our women a fighting chance this weekend.”
The men’s team claimed the wins in seven of today’s 10 events, getting off to a strong start with five consecutive first place finishes. Tech kicked it off with Jake Lamparella, Norbert Szabo, Harrison Pierce and Ian Ho taking the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:29.44.
Lane Stone and Michael Craddock followed up with a one, three finish in the 1,000 free. Stone took the top place in a time of 9:12.79 while Craddock finished in a time of 9:25.09.
Ho led the Hokies to a win in the 50 free with a 20.22 mark as teammate David Herbert finished just behind in a second place time of 20.53. Lamparella claimed his second top finish of the day with a 48.99 in the 100 backstroke while Sean Workman secured third in a time of 50.29.
Justin Edwards recorded the Hokies’ fifth-straight win with a time of 1:59.65 in the 200 yard breaststroke. Pierce followed up with a third place time of 50.16 in the 100 fly.
Szabo got the Hokies back on top in the next event, winning the 200 free in a time of 1:38.78 and was followed by Stone in second with a time of 1:40.19. Samuel Tornqvist wrapped up the individual swim events with a third place finish in the 400 IM (3:54.81).
The Hokies concluded the day going two, three in the 400 free relay. Lamparella, Herbert, Pierce and Szabo teamed up for a time of 2:59.55 while Hassler Carroll, Thomas Hallock, Stone and Aaron Boyd had a time of 3:02.50.
Tech again dominated on the boards, sweeping the men’s 1-meter as Ben Schiesl had the top score of 378.75. Jack Gigliotti had his second silver finish of the weekend with a score of 335.02 while Thomas Shinholser came in third (314.63).
This marks the fifth win for the H2Okies men over UVA in program history.
The women opened the day with a one, two finish in the 200 medley relay. Emily Meilus, Joelle Vereb, Maggie Gruber and Adriana Grabski had a time of 1:41.56 and were followed by team of Klaudia Nazieblo, Kelly Henry, Kayla Purcell and Danielle Griggs in 1:43.45.
Jenna Beattie and Eleanor Matheson gave Tech the two, three finish in the women’s 1,000 free as Beattie swam 1:13.33 and Matheson went 10:13.88. k
The H2Okies had another two, three finish in the next event off swims from Nazieblo (54.97) and Meilus (55.16) in the 100 yard backstroke. Henry took third with a time of 2:19.94 in the 200 yard breaststroke.
Nazieblo finished on top in the 100 fly with a time of 54.56 while Gruber took third in 55.04. Reka Gyorgy finished the individual events out with a top time of 4:18.50 in the 400 IM.
The Hokies wrapped up the swim events with a third place finish in the 400 free relay as Grabski, Purcell, Abby Andrusin and Gruber recorded a time of 3:24.82.
In diving, Ashlynn Peters scored 342.52 to win the 3-meter event.
Tech recognized its 12 seniors prior to Saturday’s meet, honoring Ashley Buchter, Grabski, Gruber, Henry, Nazieblo, MJ Ulrich, Logan Williams, Mauro Castro-Silva, Edwards, Gigliotti, Pierce and Shinholser.
–VT Athletics