Louisville Dominates Kentucky With Albiero Siblings Leading the Way

nicholas-albiero-
Nick Albiero -- Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Louisville Dominates Kentucky With Albiero Siblings Leading the Way

The University of Louisville hosted in-state rival Kentucky in a dual meet Saturday, and the Louisville women came out on top by a score of 174 to 126, while Louisville’s men dominated (208.5-88.5). For Louisville, the children of head coach Arthur Albiero were the standouts as daughter Gabi won three individual events and son Nick placed first in two events on his own.

Gabi Albiero won the 50 free (22.09), 100 free (48.14) and 100 fly (51.71), and she also anchored Louisville’s 200 medley relay to a win with an impressive 21.43 split. Teammate Liberty Williams finished first in the 1650 free in 15:53.60, and she later recorded a 4:38.79 in the 500 free. Williams, a sophomore from Mentone, Calif., looks like a potential breakout star for Louisville after recording dual meet wins two weeks in a row.

For Kentucky, Riley Gaines won the 200 free in 1:43.93, just off her season-best time of 1:43.93 that ranks fifth in the country. Wildcat teammate Sophie Sorenson placed first in both the 200 back (1:52.11) and 200 IM (1:57.77).

In the men’s competition, Nick Albiero swam to wins in the 200 fly (1:41.50) and 100 fly (45.88), setting pool records in both distances. Albiero set pool records in both events as he moved to seventh in the nation in the 200 fly, the event in which he won last year’s NCAA title before returning to swim a fifth year with the Cardinals. Meanwhile, teammate Haridi Sameh won the 50 free (19.21) and 100 free (42.92), and he also provided a pair of lightning-quick anchor splits on the 200 medley relay (18.74) and 400 free relay (42.46).

Read the full press release from Louisville below:

No. 9/11 University of Louisville men’s and swimming team beat No. NR/14 University of Kentucky in the Battle of the Bluegrass Saturday afternoon at the Ralph Wright Natatorium.

The No. 11-ranked Cardinal women won 174-126 with the No. 11-ranked Cardinal men winning 208.5-88.5. The women were led by multiple event winner Gabi Albiero (200 medley relay, 50 free, 100 free, 100 fly) and Liberty Williams (1650, 500). The men were led by Nick Albiero (200 medley relay, 200 fly, 100 fly, 400 free relay) and Haridi Sameh (200 medley relay, 50 free, 100 free 400 free relay).

The Cardinal women set a pool record in the 200 medley relay and made an NCAA A-cut when the foursome of Tristen Ulett (24.89), Mariia Astashkina (27.02), Christiana Regenauer (23.02) and Gabi Albiero (21.43) combined forces for a 1:36.36 and the win. The Cardinal men followed suit, winning their 200 medley relay, in a A-Cut, pool record time of 1:23.90 set by Mitchell Whyte (21.59), Evgenii Somov (23.17), Nick Albiero (20.40) and an anchor from Sameh (18.74).

Williams reset her own school record and got an A-cut time with the third fastest time in the nation this year when when she threw down a 15:53.60 for the win. Paige McCormick was fourth with a 16.33.10 and Maddie Luther was fifth in 16:35.68. Hayden Curley won the men’s 1650, leading wire to wire to put up a 15:00.75 for a B-cut for the Cardinals. Teammate Eli Shoyat was fourth with a time of 15:35.41 and Ilia Sibirtsev was sixth in 15:39.46.

In the 200 free, UK’s Riley Gaines turned in the fastest time for the win, going 1:43.93. Louisville’s Paige Hetrick was second in 1:45.00, just ahead of teammate Arina Openysheva’s third place time of 1:46.08. For the men, Murilo Sartori ran away with the 200 free for the Cardinals, posting a 1:33.71. Teammate Denis Loktev was third with a 1:36.48 and Colton Paulson turned in a fourth-place time of 1:36.67.

Kentucky’s Caitlin Brooks won the 100 backstroke with a time of 52.18. Rye Ulett from Louisville was the top finisher, touching third in 53.09 for a B-cut. Tatiana Salcutan was sixth in 54.17. The Cardinals had a 1-2-3-4 sweep of the men’s 100 back led by Whyte’s 47.04. Nikos Sofianidis (47.12), Jack Wever (48.10) and Neal Morsi (49.08) followed respectively.

Kentucky’s Bailey Bonnett was the only swimmer under a minute in the 100 breast when she boarded a 59.89 for the win. Louisville’s Astashkina was second in 1:00.13 and Adeline Farrington was third in 1:00.64 just barely out-touching Morgan Friesen’s 1:00.68. Somov set a pool record when he stopped the clock at 52.47 and made an NCAA B-cut. The Cardinals finished 1-2-3-4 in the event with Somov was followed by teammates Denis Petrashov (52.87), Aidan Kreiley (54.55) and Luke Shourds (56.43).

UofL took the top two spots in the 200 butterfly with Alena Kraus putting up a 1:54.95 just ahead of teammate Abby Hay’s 1:55.60 — both B-Cuts. Tristen Ulett was fourth, boarding a 1:55.94. For the men, Albiero set a pool record in the 200 butterfly when he hit the wall in 1:41.50 and the win. Louisville’s Daniel Sos was third with a time of 1:36.33 and a B-cut. Gustavo Saldo was fifth in 1:48.90 and Greyson Alarcon was sixth in 1:50.92.

In the 50 freestyle, the Cardinals took the top two spots led by Gabi Albiero’s winning time of 22.09, just edging teammate Regenauer’s 22.44. Sameh won the 50 free with a 19.21 as part of a Louisville sweep. Dalton Lowe was second (19.56) just ahead of Caleb Duncan (19.95) and Michael Eastman (20.01).

Gabi Albiero won the 100 free with a B-cut time of 48.14. Openysheva was third for the Cardinals with a time of 48.89 just out-touching Regenauer’s time of 48.92 and Madie Hall’s 50.12. For the Cardinal men, Sameh surged to first with a time of 42.92, beating teammate Vlad Dubinin (43.48) and Sartori (43.67) for the top three spots.

In the 200 backstroke, UK’s Sophie Sorenson put up the winning time of 1:52.11 just out-touching Rye Ulett’s 1:53.22, which set a new school record for the Cardinals. Hetrick was third in 1:53.58 for UofL. In the men’s 200 back, Wildcat Mason Wilby touched in 1:43.20 for the win. UofL’s Sos swam a time of 1:44.01 for second place. Sofianidis was third, posting a 1:44.87. Whyte was fifth (1:47.33).

Cardinal Astashkina held off hard-charging Gillian Davey from UK for the win in the 200 breaststroke, turning in a 2:08.54. Friesen was fourth (2:11.77) and Diana Dunn touched sixth in 2:13.64. In the men’s 200 breast, Cardinal Kreiley touched a full second ahead of the field with a 1:55.62 ahead of teammate Somov’s 1:57.45, both times making the NCAA B-cut. Newcomer Petrashov was fourth with a time of 1:59.80 for the Ville.

In the 500 freestyle, Williams continued her streak in the distance events when she boarded the winning time of 4:38.79, almost seven full seconds ahead of the rest of the field. Luther finished sixth in 4:53.73. Louisville freshman Shoyat won the men’s event with a mark of 4:23.54. Curley was third for the Cards with a 4:24.41. Loktev was fourth in 4:27.10.

In diving, UK’s Kyndal Knight won the 1M board with a score of 290.48, beating UofL’s Else Praasterink’s 244.50 just ahead of teammate Riley Bullock’s third place score of 239.40. UK’s Mingli Zhang won the men’s 1M with a score of 363.38. UofL’s Che Stephens was second with a 326.40 and Adam Sneden’s 315. Knight won the women’s 3M board as well with a 290.48. Else Praasterink was second with a score of 306.75.

In the 100 fly, Gabi Albiero led the Cardinals’ 1-2 sweep with a time of 51.71, edging teammate Tristen Ulett’s 52.09 and Kraus was fourth in 52.94. Nick Albiero won the men’s 100 fly with a time of 45.88, a pool record. Lowe was second in 46.28 and Sofianidis was third, posting a 48.43.

In the 200 IM, Wildcat Sorenson won with a 1:57.77. UofL’s Hay was second, turning in a time of 1:58.28. Rye Ulett was sixth in 2:00.54. For the men’s 200 IM, Sos powered to the wall in 1:45.81 for the win and a B-cut. Paulson was 8th in 1:54.28.

In the final event, the 400 free relay, the Louisville A-relay team of Kraus (49.39), Regenauer (48.52), Hetrick (48.33) and Openysheva (48.55) put up the winning time of 3:14.79. UofL’s B-relay team of Fernanda Celidonio (50.46), Hall (49.86), Polina Nevmovenko (49.44) and Diana Dunn (49.69) touched second.

In the men’s 400 free relay, Louisville took first with the foursome of Eastman (43.53), Nick Albiero (42.75), Sartori (42.92) and Sameh (42.46) combining for the winning time of 2:51.66.

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