Alabama, Texas A&M Swimming and Diving Teams Split; Aggie Women Extend Win Streak to 21

11-01-14 MWSD vs. Auburn and LSU Kristian Gkolomeev Men 50 Yard Freestyle Photo by Kelly Price

Photo Courtesy: Kelly Price/Alabama Athletics

COLLEGE STATION – The Texas A&M women’s swimming and diving team extended its unbeaten streak in dual meets to 21 on Friday night against Alabama, while the Crimson Tide men came out ahead as the two schools split their dual meet. Texas A&M won 178-120 on the women’s side, while Alabama claimed a 162-138 win in the men’s meet.

Texas A&M Women’s Press Release

The No. 4-ranked Texas A&M women’s swimming and diving team extended its unbeaten streak to 21 straight with a 178-120 dual meet win over SEC foe Alabama on Friday at the Student Recreation Natatorium.

The Aggies, who haven’t lost a dual meet in nearly two years, improved to 8-0 with the win over the Crimson Tide. Texas A&M was dominant from start to finish with victories in 13 of 16 possible events, including the first four of the meet.

“I thought we did a good job of getting up and racing even though we’ve been training hard during the winter break,” Aggie head coach Steve Bultman said. “We were probably a little sharper yesterday (in double-dual wins over Tennessee and SMU), but I’m very happy with the way we competed.”

The strong team effort saw nine individual tally victories, including a pair of wins from junior Ashley McGregor, sophomore Sarah Gibson and sophomore diver Courtney Hattie. McGregor won the 200-yard butterfly (2:02.13) and the 200 breaststroke (2:13.95); Gibson won the 200 free (1:49.06) and the 100 fly (54.78); and Hattie swept the one-meter dive (264.38) and the three-meter (278.93). .

Winning single races were senior Sarah Henry in the 1,650 free (16:36.76), freshman Beryl Gastaldello in the 100 back (55.62), senior Sammie Bosma in the 50 free (22.82), junior Claire Brandt in the 200 back (1:58.22), sophomore Sycerika McMahon in the 500 free (4:52.04) and freshman Lisa Bratton in the 400 IM (4:14.45).

The Aggies also won the 200 medley relay with Gastaldello, McMahon, Gibson and Bosma touching first in 1:40.65. Logging runner-up individual finishes were Bratton in the 100 back, McMahon in the 100 breast, senior Lili Ibanez in the 50 and 100 free, junior Colleen Konetzke in the 500 free and Bosma in the 100 fly.

Alabama Press Release

Junior Connor Oslin won three individual events Friday afternoon in College Station, Texas to lead the Alabama men’s swimming and diving team to a decisive 162-138 win over Southeastern Conference Rival Texas A&M. The Crimson Tide women fell to the Aggies 178-120.

Oslin won the 100 backstroke with a time of 47.93 and the 200 backstroke with a 1:47.04, more than 2.5 seconds ahead of the field. He closed out his meet by posting a 49.09 to win the 100 butterfly. Oslin also led off the Tide’s winning 200 medley relay to start off the meet, combining with sophomore Anton McKee, junior Brett Walsh and sophomore Kristian Gkolomeev for a 1:29.08.

Gkolomeev went on to win the 50 freestyle (19.94) and 100 freestyle (45.14). He also anchored the Tide’s winning 200 freestyle relay to close out the meet, joining with sophomore Alex Gray, Walsh and freshman Luke Kaliszak to post a 1:20.79. Gkolomeev remains undefeated in the 50 freestyle this season, with all his winning efforts coming under 20 seconds.

Junior Brian Westlake (1650 freestyle/15:47.74) and Gray (200 freestyle/1:39.93) also picked up wins for the Tide men.

On the women’s side of the slate, senior Kaylin Burchell won the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:01.38 while freshman Temarie Tomley won the 100 freestyle after touching the wall with a 51.26. Sophomore Bailey Scott, junior Emma Saunders, Tomley and junior Justine Panian combined to with the 200 freestyle relay with a 1:33.41 to close out the meet.

Alabama returns to Texas Jan. 15-17 for the Arena Grand Prix in Austin. For all the latest information on the Alabama swimming and diving teams, follow AlabamaSwimDive on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. General athletic news can be found through UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.

Results: Alabama vs. Texas A&M

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