SEC Weekly Analysis: Auburn Holds off Wisconsin in Battle

Natasha Lloyd, 100m Breaststoke during Session Two of the 2015 New Zealand Short Course Championships, Sir Owen G. Glenn National Aquatic Centre, Auckland, New Zealand, 11 August 2015. Photo: Simon Watts/www.bwmedia.co.nz

Auburn's Natasha Lloyd. Photo Courtesy: Simon Watts/www.bwmedia.co.nz/Swimming New Zealand

By Dan D’Addona.

A battle of the No. 11 and No. 12 team in the country is supposed to be close.

The dual meet between Auburn and Wisconsin lived up to the bill as the Tigers hung on to beat the Badgers 165-135.

The men’s meet was a battle between No. 6 Auburn and No. 16 Wisconsin and that proved to be even closer as the Tigers edged the Badgers 156-144.

The Auburn men and women used their star power to sweep Wisconsin.

Joe Patching won three individual events for the men and Natasha Lloyd and Ashley Neidigh each won two for the women.

Patching won the 100 backstroke (48.68), the 200 backstroke (1:46.44) and the 400 IM (3:53.05) and was also on the winning 200 medley relay (1:28.49).

Luis Martinez, an Olympian for Guatemala in Rio, swept the butterfly events, winning the 100 in 47.89 and the 200 in 1:48.05. He was on the winning 200 medley relay.

Auburn’s men also swept the breaststroke events with Michael Duderstadt winning the 100 (55.69) and Tommy Brewer winning the 200 (2:04.57).

Pete Turnham won the 1-meter springboard with a zone qualifying score of 334.05.

In the women’s meet, Lloyd, swept the breaststroke events in 1:02.86 and 2:15.57, respectively.

Neidigh, also a senior, won the 500 freestyle (4:50.29) and the 1,000 free (9:50.08).

Other event winners for the women included Jessica Merritt in the 200 free (1:48.92), Bailey Nero in the 200 butterfly (2:00.84), Julie Meynen in the 100 free (50.05), Aly Tetzloff in the 100 butterfly (54.13) and Zoe Thatcher in the 400 IM (4:20.48).

LSU wins FGCU Classic

Competing in an SEC conference that has pool powerhouses like Georgia, Florida, Texas A&M and Tennessee, the LSU program often gets overlooked.

But the Tigers are ranked No. 20 in the women’s poll and started the season doing some damage.

The LSU women used their depth to win the Florida Gulf Coast Classic with 495 points. The men finished third.

The LSU women didn’t win many events, but it was the collective that got the job done and proved they can be an SEC contender.

The women’s 400 medley relay team of Makenna Wilson, Colleen O’Neil, Kara Kopcso and Leah Troskot finished first with a time of 3:42.50.

Kopcso took third in the 100 IM with a time of 56.84. In the 500 free, Devon Dabney took third 4:58.18. O’Neil touched the wall first in the 200 breaststroke, securing a time of 2:16.65. Wilson took second in the 100 back with a time of 56.46, and Troskot also garnered a second place finish in the 100 free, tallying a time of 50.24. Kopsco finished third in the 200 butterfly (1:59.86). Sophie Weber took second at 2:03.10 in the 200 IM.

The team of Kate Zimmer, Haylee Knight, Troskot and Dabney combined for third place in the 200 free relay, lifting the women’s team to first place overall over Ohio State in the FGCU Classic.

In the men’s meet, Karl Luht, Silas Dejean, Logan Rysemus and Jake Markham took second in the 400 medley relay, finishing in 3:18.88. Brandon Goldman took second in the 100 IM at 51.84.

Freshman Sven Saemundsson earned his first career win as a Tiger in the 500 free, completing the event with a time of 4:28.24. In the 200 breaststroke, Garrett House was third (2:03.02).

Rysemus touched the wall first in the 100 backstroke, securing a time of 48.06. In the 200 butterfly, Alarii Levreault-Lopez claimed second place with a final time of 1:49.81.

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