LSU Sweeps Delta State

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, October 28. THE LSU swimming and diving team captured 30 of Saturday's 32 events en route to sweeping Division II Delta State in a dual meet at the LSU Natatorium.

The Tiger men picked up their first dual-meet victory of the season by a score of 175.5-108.5, while the LSU women did the same by a margin of 181-106. LSU won the meet's first 10 events and finished 1-2 in the first seven events. The Statesmen's only victories came in the women's 200 butterfly and the men's 200 backstroke.

"Today's meet allowed us to show what we have in other areas and events," said head coach Adam Schmitt. "We had people come out with some really great times. This was a good meet for the second level of our athletes to come out."

Sophomore Katherine Noland led the Lady Tigers with three individual victories. Noland won the 100 back (58.18), 200 individual medley (2:09.19) and 200 freestyle.

"Katherine came back after being a little off at the Dallas (SMU Classic) meet," said Schmitt. "She came back and redeemed herself, and that is what s he wanted to do. She proved herself there."

Sophomore Julius Gloeckner and freshman Will Rivers led the men's team with a pair of wins. The All-American took the 1000 free by a comfortable margin (9:24.98) and later won the 100 breaststroke (58.64).

Rivers continued to prove that he could be a scoring force at the SEC Championships next February. The Elgin, Texas, native won the 200 free (1:44.23) and later out touched Gloeckner to win the 500 free (4:33.24).

"That is a good competition to have with Will and Julius," said Schmitt. "I knew those guys would go at each other. Those times in the 500 free right now are great swims."

Junior Clare Schepens swept the women's distance freestyle events. Schepens was only seven seconds off of her career-best clocking in winning the 1000 free (10:29.89). Despite swimming the 200 free, she took home the 500 free a few events later (5:10.04).

Sophomore Sarah Dicharry took first place in the women's 200 free (1:54.50), and junior Michelle Hanson won the 100 breaststroke (1:08.44).

In sprint free events, freshman Lauren Grandy captured the women's 50 free (24.63), and junior Miko Malberg turned in a season-fast time to win the men's 50 free (20.59).

"Miko is now feeling better with his shoulder, and he popped out a good swim today," said Schmitt. "There was some good racing."

Senior Kevin Braud won with a four-second cushion in the 100 back (50.93) and did not participate in the 200 back, allowing freshman Luc Rykosky to finish as LSU's highest scorer in second place (1:57.45).

S ophomore Will Benge won the 200 fly (1:54.91) just ahead of sophomore Christoph Lubenau. However, Lubenau finished strong in the men's 100 fly and took first (50.79).

Freshman Nate Telep took top honors in the men's 200 breaststroke (2:09.83), and sophomore Conner Farber won the 100 free (46.74).

Sophomore Berit Aljand was first in the women's 200 back (2:05.73), and sophomore Katie Gilmore won the 100 fly (58.78). Sophomore transfer Victoria Givens rounded out the women's individual winners with a first-place finish in the 200 breaststroke (2:24.16).

LSU was victorious in all four relays, which included both heats of the 200 medley and 200 free.

In diving, the Tigers enjoyed perhaps one of their best dual-meet performances in recent memory led by senior Hali Saucier, who swept both women's events with career-high scores.

"Overall across the board, we had some really excellent performances," said diving coach Doug Shaffer. "It's great to know that five of our six divers have their NCAA Zone qualifying scores at this point in the season."

Saucier, who won the 3-meter at the SMU Classic last weekend, finished seven points shy of the school record in Saturday's 3-meter competition with the second-best mark in school history (330.98).

The score eclipsed her previous best of 313.27 and moved the senior past Jessica Wantz' tally of 330.68 in 2005. Ashley Culpepper set the school record in 1998 (337.65).

Saucier recorded the fourth-highest 1-meter, six-dive score with another career-best mark (303.52). She only trails Culpepper, Wantz and Kelli Hill for that school record.

On the men's side, two LSU divers earned their NCAA Zone qualifying scores highlighted by freshman Kalister Harmon's victory in the 3-meter.

Harmon picked up the first win of his career with a score of 322.28. Senior Andrew Keane, who also earned his NCAA Zone score, collected his first win of the year in the 1-meter (286.20).

"It was certainly Kalister's best performance that I have seen yet," said Shaffer. "We had a really good week of training and the hours have been long. To have performances along with all of that, I am just proud of the team."

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