North Carolina Sweeps South Carolina as Grace Countie Shines

North Carolina's Grace Countie -- Photo Courtesy: NCAA Media

North Carolina Sweeps South Carolina as Grace Countie Shines

After South Carolina faced Duke in a dual meet Friday, the Gamecocks remained in the Triangle Area for a Saturday battle against North Carolina, but the result was the same as the Tar Heels earned a sweep of their rival from the Palmetto State. The UNC women won 178 to 122 over South Carolina while the men’s final score was 179 to 115.

North Carolina’s Grace Countie was a standout as she won the 100 backstroke (52.41) and 100 freestyle (49.17), while Skyler Smith won the 100 breaststroke (1:01.94) and 200 breast (2:16.81) and Ellie VanNote took top honors in the 200 butterfly (1:59.15) and 100 fly (53.87). On the men’s side, Dylan Citta won the 100 breast (55.01) and 200 breast, and Tomas Sungaila finished ahead of the fields in the 50 free (20.29) and 100 free (44.40). Boyd Poelke won the 100 fly (47.64) and 200 fly (1:48.70).

Full results are available here, and read the full press release from North Carolina below:

The University of North Carolina swimming and diving team claimed first place in 23 out of 32 events and swept the University of South Carolina in a dual meet by scores of 179-115 on the men’s side and 178-122 on the women’s Saturday at Koury Natatorium.

“This is the highest level of competition we’ve raced this year in South Carolina, which is a strong SEC school,” UNC head coach Mark Gangloff said. “We won a lot of close races which is a good sign. You always want to get your hand on the wall and execute your races well and I think we certainly did that.

“Things are rolling really nicely right now.”

The list of Tar Heels that posted multiple event finishes consists of women’s swimmers Grace Countie, Skyler Smith and Ellie VanNote along with men’s swimmers Dylan Citta, Tomas Sungaila and Boyd Poelke.

Countie reached the top of the podium for the first time in the 100 backstroke, touching in a time of 52.41, and then capturing first place in the 100 freestyle, posting a time of 49.17 to edge out teammate Olivia Nel by 1.01 seconds. Smith swept the women’s breaststroke events, registering a time of 1:01.94 to win the 100 breast and followed with a repeat performance in the 200 breaststroke, reaching the wall in 2:16.81, 0.16 seconds in front of the Gamecocks’ Laura Goettler.

VanNote pocketed her first win of the meet in the 200 butterfly, clocking in at 1:59.15, a mere 0.56 ahead of Melinda Novoszath of South Carolina. Her second win came in the 100 butterfly, where she touched in 53.87.

Citta swept the men’s breaststroke events, first capturing the 100 with a time of 55.01 before squeaking past teammate Patrick Hussey by 0.25 in the 200 with a time of 2:02.94.

Sungaila reached the wall ahead of the field in the 50 and 100 freestyle by a combined margin of 0.79. He was 0.19 faster than Patrick Groethers in the 50 with a winning time of 20.29 and finished 0.60 ahead of teammate Nick Radkov in the 100, reaching in a time of 44.40. Poelke triumphed in the 100 and 200-yar butterfly with times of 47.64 and 1:48.70.

Four additional Tar Heels topped the podium on the women’s side in singular events, including Aislin Farris in the 1000 freestyle, Addison Smith in the 500 free, Sophie Lindner in the 200 backstroke and Olivia Nel in the 50 free. Freshman Louis Dramm topped the leaderboard in the men’s 200 freestyle.

UNC won three of the four relays. Walker Davis joined Citta, Poelke and Sungaila to win the men’s 400 medley relay. Sungaila, Radkov and Dramm teamed with Tyler Roberton to claim first place in the 400 freestyle relay as did Lindner, Nel, Countie and Smith in the women’s race.

The Tar Heels won three of the four diving events, led by Alex Hart who took first place in both the men’s one-meter and three-meter springboard. Hart posted a score of 316.43 on the one-meter springboard and 387.03 in the three-meter competition. Aranza Vazquez scored 351.00 points in the three-meter competition to edge teammate Emily Grund by two points.

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