Louisiana State, Vanderbilt at Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama, November 2.THE LSU swimming and diving team posted its second Southeastern Conference road sweep of the season on Friday as the Tigers defeated Alabama in the Alabama Aquatic Center. The LSU women also topped Vanderbilt on Friday.

The 19th-ranked LSU men rolled past the Crimson Tide, 194-106. The LSU
women won by a 173-127 score over Alabama while also cruising past the
Commodores, 240-49.

"It's hard to travel to an SEC location and get a win," said LSU head
coach Adam Schmitt. "We were able to come in here, stay focused and
execute what we needed to do to get the win. It's great for these
seniors, who for three years moved up the ranks, and finally got the win.
It is satisfying for them."

The LSU men snapped a six-meet losing streak to the Crimson Tide and
moved to 3-2 in meet competition. The three wins are the most by the
Tigers since recording four wins during the 2002-03 season. The Tigers
defeated Alabama for the first time since 2000 and posted their first win
in Tuscaloosa since 1999.

"On the men's side, just missing out last year and having to wait another
year, the tension built up," said Schmitt. "It was positive tension. I'm
proud of the team because they did not lose confidence, and they know
they have something special going on this year. It is exciting."

The LSU women recorded their third straight victory over the Tide and
have turned the series around. Alabama had won five straight decisions
against the LSU women between 2000 and 2004. The Lady Tigers, who were
competing against Vanderbilt for the first time since 1991, moved to 6-1
all-time in that series.

The LSU women upped their dual-meet record to 4-1, which includes a 3-1
mark in SEC action. The three league victories represent the most by the
team since tallying three wins during the 2001-02 season.

The Tigers were led by a trio of upperclassmen, including junior Julius
Gloeckner, senior Kevin Braud and senior Miko Malberg. Gloeckner racked
up a meet-high three individual victories. He won the 200 butterfly in a
time of 1:49.32 and led a 1-2-3 finish in the 200 individual medley with
a clocking of 1:52.12. Gloeckner edged freshman teammate Clint Hallum in
the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:31.84. Hallum swam a mark of 4:32.67.

Gloeckner, Malberg, junior Connor Farber and freshman Hannes Heyl closed
the meet with a win in the 400 free relay (3:05.03). The men also claimed
the 200 medley relay in a time of 1:31.95.

Malberg swept the sprint free events, recording first-place times of
20.64 and 45.86 in the 50 and 100 free, respectively. Braud once again
swept the backstroke events and was part of 1-2 LSU finishes in both
events with Heyl. Braud swam a time of 50.50 in the 100 back and 1:50.20
in the 200 back.

Freshman Luis Gonzalez won the 1000 free (9:19.31), and sophomore Sean
LeNeave took first in the 200 free (1:41.32). Christoph Lubenau led a
1-2-3 Tiger finish in the 100 fly with a time of 50.48.

On the women's side, junior Katie Gilmore led the way with two individual
first-place finishes. Gilmore helped post a 1-2 LSU finish in the 50 free
with a time of 23.45. Freshman Jane Trepp took second (23.78). Gilmore
then added a w in in the 100 fly (55.77).

The Lady Tigers' 200 medley relay of Monica McJunkin, Victoria Givens,
Katherine Noland and Gilmore opened the meet with a first-place clocking
of 1:43.35.

Noland won the 100 free (50.99) and spearheaded a 2-3 Lady Tiger finish
in the 200 free (1:51.73). McJunkin claimed the 100 back (56.19), and
junior Berit Aljand sparked a 1-2-3 scoring effort in the 200 back in a
time of 2:04.03.

Junior Vanessa Duenas tallied two runner-up finishes with times of
2:04.41 and 2:05.90 in the 200 fly and 200 IM, respectively. Freshman
Kannon Betzen and Givens took first and second in the 100 breaststroke
led by Betzen's time of 1:03.60.

In diving, sophomore Rachel Ware won the women's 1-meter with a score of
279.35. Junior Paige Brown was third (251.35) but made her way into the
win column with first place in the 3-meter (302.30). Ware was second in
the 3-meter (283.25).

In the men's 1-meter, LSU recorded 2-3 finishes led by freshman Michael
Neubacher's second-place mark of 318.50. Junior Niko Dalman finished
third in the 1-meter (309.35) and was the Tigers' highest scorer in the
3-meter with second place (352.35). Neubacher took third in the 3-meter
(335.15).

Special thanks to LSU for contributing this report.

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