Emma Sticklen Doubles Amid Strong Texas Performances at Duke

Emma Sticklen -- Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Emma Sticklen Doubles Amid Strong Texas Performances at Duke

After an exciting dual meet between Texas and NC State in Raleigh Friday afternoon, the Longhorns made the short trip to Durham to swim in an unscored competition against Duke, with the Blue Devils also coming off a meet Friday, when they hosted fierce rival North Carolina.

The meet began with a tight battle in the 200 medley relay, but the Texas team of Emma Kern, Anna Elendt, Emma Sticklen and Ava Longi got the better of Duke’s top team and the Longhorns’ own B squad by just three tenths, finishing in 1:27.02. Kaelyn Gridley propelled Duke in front of Texas with a 26.91 breaststroke leg before Sticklen took the lead for Texas with a 22.90 butterfly split. Longi finished in 21.75, and she needed that speed as Duke’s Tatum Wall split 21.45. The Texas B squad, leaders for most of the race, finished two hundredths behind Duke in third.

The Longhorns’ Erica Sullivan won the 1000 freestyle in 9:41.59, and teammate Kelly Pash topped the 100 backstroke (52.60) and 500 free (4:45.37). Sticklen won the 50 free (22.37) and 200 IM (1:56.58), and Erin Gemmell came in first in the 100 free (48.70). Bridget O’Neil finished first in 3-meter diving (355.43). Finally, the Texas team of Emma Davidson, Pash, Olivia Bray and Longi won the 200 free relay in 1:28.82.

For Duke, Wall got the win in the 200 free (1:47.30), and Gridley broke 1:00 in the 100 breast with her winning time of 59.48. Martina Peroni then blasted a swift mark of 1:54.01 in the 200 fly to move into the national top-10 in the event. Molly Donlan paced the Blue Devils in the 200 back (1:55.38). Aleyna Ozkan secured first place n the 100 fly in 53.00. Margo Omeara won 1-meter diving (321.45).

On the men’s side, Texas opened with a 1-2 finish in the 200 medley relay, with Alec Filipovic, Brayden Taivassalo, Sam Artmann and Cole Crane finishing first in 1:27.06. Nate Germonprez swam a time of 1:34.98 to pace Texas in the 200 free, and Taivassalo topped the 100 breast (54.48) before Crane won the 200 fly (1:46.32). Luke Hobson swam a swift 19.69 to win the 50 free.

Fifth-year swimmer Jake Foster impressed in the 200 breast with his time of 1:53.05, and Ryan Branon Jr. took first in the 100 fly (48.18). The final individual event of the day, the 200 IM, went to Will Scholtz in 1:47.90. Sasha Lyubavskiy was the only swimmer to race the 1000 free (9:15.55). The Longhorns’ Nick Harris won 1-meter diving (367.65) while teammate Manny Borowski finished first on 3-meter (419.25). The team of Hobson, Filipovic, Will Modglin and Camden Taylor swam a time of 1:17.94 to win the 200 free relay.

Duke’s first win came from Jack Christian in the 100 back (48.63), and teammate Blake Johnson later won the 100 free (44.49) as well as the 500 free (4:28.14). Michael Jiang secured first place in the 200 back (1:44.81).

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