Virginia Women Swim By Richmond, 123-110

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia, February 2. LAST night at the Aquatic and Fitness Center, the Virginia women's swimming and diving team downed the Richmond Spiders 123-110.

With the victory, the Cavaliers improve to 6-3 this season. Last night's meet was Richmond's final regular season competition before their conference championships. Prior to the competition, Virginia coach Mark Bernardino said the meet would be a great opportunity to see the women race their secondary events before their matchup with Maryland Saturday.

"We swam really well and I am very pleased with the mental approach they took coming in here," Bernardino said. "They were excited to swim and excited to test themselves in some of the races that will be their second and third events at ACCs."

Indeed, Virginia won eight of the meet's first nine events before participating in the final four exhibition races of the evening. In the 1000 free, senior Rory Schmidt posted a season's best time of 10:03.92 while in the 200 IM, senior Erin Corgan swam her season's best time of 2:04.09.

"I was really excited and a little surprised by my swim," Schmidt said. "It's great to have things come together like that. The team has had a great season and I think everything is falling into place. We are showing that we are polished and ready for ACCs."

In the 200 back, freshman Mei Christensen swam what is known as a negative split — the second half of her race was faster than the first

"I was trying to stay strong in the back half," Christensen said. "I tried a new approach to the race because I am working towards a good strong back half for the end of the season and ACCs. I think my new way of practicing the 200 helped me feel really strong tonight."

With a score of 238.80 on the one-meter and 221.85 on the three-meter, sophomore Jackie Apple won both diving events. Juniors Jess Lewis and Stephanie Glover won the 200 free (1:50.84) and 50 free (23.95) respectively. Sophomore Anne Dawson placed first in the 200 butterfly (2.07.71) while junior Amber Bialas won the 100 free (52.35). Exhibition wins were achieved by freshman Jenn Narum in the 500 free (4:56.61) and by senior Katy Bland, freshman Jenna Brick and sophomore Megan Evo, and Bialas (1:36.26) in the 200 free relay.

"The execution of the race strategies was very good tonight," Bernardino said. "But I think what pleased me the most is that I felt we had a really nice, neat, good mental focus."

Virginia could have swept the first nine events had their first place 200 medley relay team not been disqualified at the start.

"You make those mistakes," Bernardino said. "And during the dual meet season I would rather see our athletes being aggressive on their relay starts than passive. You can fix aggressive. It's passive that you can't fix."

The women will join the men Saturday afternoon against Maryland for this year's last home meet and the last competition of the regular season.

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