South Carolina Swimming and Diving Teams Drop SEC Openers To LSU

COLUMBIA, South Carolina, October 13. THE South Carolina men's (0-2, 0-1 SEC) and women's (0-2, 0-1 SEC) swimming and diving teams each suffered their first conference loss of the season, falling to LSU, Saturday at the Carolina Natatorium. The LSU women won by a narrow margin, defeating the Gamecocks by a score of 164-136. On the men's side, the Tigers won with a final tally of 204.5-94.5.

Claire Thompson and Christy Williams led the way for the Carolina women posting three first-place finishes each. Thompson won the 200-, 500-, and 1000-yard freestyle events, while Williams swept the butterfly events, winning the 100- and 200-yard races.

"Christy Williams did a great job, she really had a great meet," Carolina head coach McGee Moody said. "She dropped a lot of time in her fly."

Williams picked up her third win of the day in the 200-yard individual medley (2:05.86). Christine Thompson also had a strong day, posting two second-place finishes in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle.

Kassy Kugler also picked up a win in the 50-yard freestyle (24.03) and a second-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle (52.12). In the 200-yard butterfly, Heather Roffey notched a third-place finish with a time of 206.65.

In diving, Gamecock freshmen Taryn Zack and Allison Barr dominated in both the one- and three-meter events. Barr picked up the win in the one-meter with a score of 254.63 with Zack finishing third with a mark of 241.86. Zack won the three-meter (289.28), while Barr finished second (270.08).

On the men's side, Steven Luckie was the most consistent for Carolina. Luckie had three third-place finishes (500-yard freestyle -4:45.02, 1,000-yard freestyle-9:48.35, 200-yard butterfly-1:53.07). Dominique Lendjel placed second in the 200-yard freestyle (1:41.14). In the 100-yard backstroke, Christian Kata placed third with a time of 53.11.

Diver Cory Christian had a big day, winning the three-meter (321.45) event and placing third in the one-meter (291.45). David Ovelson picked up the win for the Gamecocks in the one-meter with a score of 340.05.

In the relays, Carolina placed second in both men's and women's 400-yard freestyle with a time of 3:08.90 and 3:30.03, respectively. The men's "A" team also placed second in the 400-yard medley with a time of 3:29.70.

"We did a lot of things well and a lot of things we still need to work on," Moody added after the conclusion of the meet. "If anything, it gives us a perspective on what we need to improve on. We lost a lot of close races that we really should not have lost. We know what we need to improve on over the next two weeks before we go to Tennessee and Kentucky to be better than we were today. We still have some things we need to work on."

The Gamecocks continue SEC competition on October 26 in Knoxville, Tenn., against UT and Kentucky.

Special thanks to South Carolina athletics for contributing this story.

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