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Gamecock Women Take Down LSU
Swimming and Diving  . 

Gamecock Women Take Down LSU

Columbia, S.C.  – South Carolina’s women’s swimming & diving team defeated the LSU Tigers in a Saturday matinee at the Carolina Natatorium. The Gamecock women won 161.5-138.5 while the men suffered a narrow 143-157 loss that came down to the last relay.

The meet went back and forth between the Gamecock and Tiger women. LSU struck first with a win in the first relay and the 1000 free, but the Gamecocks righted the ship with wins in the 200 free and 100 breast. The Tigers won the next two events, but South Carolina responded with wins in the next four. The lead changed hands several times, but the Gamecocks ultimately came out on top.

Gamecock Notables

  • Freshman Amy Riordan is quickly making herself known on the team. The Martinez, Ga., native won the 200 free with a time of 1:48.87 and proved she is fast from any distance, taking second in the 500 free with a 4:59.49.
  • Junior transfer Tia Salcutan made waves in her Garnet & Black debut. The Moldavian Olympian started off her day with a 26.04 backstroke split in the 200 medley relay, the fastest backstroke split of the heat. She then went on to take second in the 100 back with a 54.66 and earned her first event win as a Gamecock in the 200 back with a 1:58.34. Saluctan was the only swimmer in the heat to go sub-2:00.
  • Junior Georgia Johnson earned her second breaststroke sweep of the season. She started her day with a 1:02.47 to win the 100 breast and followed it up with a 2:15.38 to win the 200 breast. Johnson also placed second in the 200 IM with a time of 2:04.42.
  • Senior Janie Smith earned both an individual and an event win on the day. Smith started the meet off as the last leg of the second-placing 200 medley relay team with a 22.56 split, the fastest freestyle split of the heat. In her next event, the 50 free, Smith swam a 23.24 which was good for second place. The senior then went on the get her first win of the day in the 100 free with a 50.64. Her relay win came as the lead leg of the winning 400 free relay team. Her 100-yard split totaled 50.62 seconds.
  • Graduate diver Brooke Schultz recorded her second springboard sweep of the season, winning the 3-meter dive with a 391.28, and the 1-meter with a 336.45. Both of her scores achieve NCAA Zone Championship qualifying standards.
  • The men’s 200 medley relay ‘A’ team earned the first win of the day with a 1:29.37, out touching Olympic gold medalist Brooks Curry and the LSU ‘A’ team.
  • Fifth-year senior Rafael Davila put up a dominant performance in the distance events. He started the day with a win in the 1000 free with a time of 9:14.79 then went on to win the 500 free with a time of 4:29.23.
  • Sophomore Michael Laitarovsky continued his dominance in the backstroke events. He swam the lead leg of the winning 200 medley relay with a 21.97 50 back split. He followed that up with a win in the 100 back with a time of 48.18.
  • Luke DeVore earned his first event win in a dual meet as a Gamecock. The senior won the 200 fly with a time of 1:49.46. He was followed closely by freshman Gage Hulbert who swam a 1:49.66.
  • Senior Patrick Groters earned his first 200 IM win of the season, touching the wall in 1:50.99.
  • Freshman diver Charley Bayer achieved his first event win of his collegiate career. Bayer won the 1-meter dive event with a score of 363.53.

Head Coach Jeff Poppell on the Team’s Performance

“I could not be any more proud of the way that our men and women competed today. It was a total team win for the women with many different individuals playing a role from freshmen to seniors. On the men’s side, we were able to take it down to the last relay of the meet but unfortunately came up a little short. We had some outstanding performances today both on the diving boards as well as in the pool and really like the direction we’re heading as a program. We are an extremely young team however it’s so nice to be able to see the positive impact our upperclassmen are making on the development of our freshmen. Our leadership from within the team has been awesome.”

Up next for the Gamecocks

South Carolina swimming & diving will hit the road for their first away meet of the season. The Gamecocks will travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to take on the Crimson Tide on Oct. 15 at 11 a.m. ET.

For all the latest South Carolina swimming and diving information, continue to follow GamecocksOnline.com or the team on social media (@GamecockSwim).

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