Duke Women Defeat Georgia Tech While Yellow Jacket Men Cruise
A two-day dual meet in Atlanta saw the visiting Duke women beat out the hosting Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets by a 201-167 margin, but Georgia Tech’s men won by a dominant margin, 258-102.
The Duke women began their campaign Friday as Tatum Wall, Ali Pfaff, Kyanh Truong and Clare Logan clocked 3:15.69 to win the 400 free relay. Pfaff won the 100 backstroke (53.22) before Kaelyn Gridley raced for the first time and dominated the 100 breaststroke (59.40).
Duke’s Yixuan Chang placed first in the 1650 free (17:00.28), and Martina Peroni came away on top in the 200 butterfly (1:57.37). Wall grabbed first in the 50 free (22.07), followed by Peroni winning her second event of the day in the 200 IM (2:00.48). Pfaff, Gridley, Truong and Wall won the 200 medley relay in 1:37.49.
On day two, Chang won the 500 free in come-from-behind fashion, clocking 4:53.17, and Truong won the 100 fly (53.18). Wall placed first in the 100 free (47.65), and Gridley rebounded from a false start in the 200 medley relay to hold on for a win in the 200 breast, clocking 2:13.25. Audrey Portello was the winner of the 400 IM (4:15.81), and in diving, Duke’s Margo Omeara captured first on 1-meter (314.63) and 3-meter (335.85).
Georgia Tech’s first women’s win came in the 200 free from Sophie Murphy (1:46.57), and they were the beneficiaries of a Duke DQ in the 400 medley relay, with Vivien Rothwell, Sabyne Brisson, Zora Ripkova and Nina Stanisavljevic recording the win in 3:36.76. Phoebe Wright took first in the 100 back (1:56.15), with Anna Bradescu winning platform diving (283.50). The team of Anna Hadjiloizou, Stanisavljevic, Kiah Smith and Murphy won the 200 free relay in 1:30.05.
For the men, Georgia Tech dominated from the beginning. Leandro Odorici, Robin Yeboah, Berke Saka and David Gapinski placed first in the 400 free relay in 2:53.84. Saka came out on top in the 100 back (47.09), and Yeboah claimed the top spot in the 50 free (20.05). Saka concluded day one’s individual racing with a dominant effort in the 200 IM (1:45.20).
Mert Kilavuz led the way in the 1650 free (15:16.46), and Uros Zivanovic won the 100 breast (53.21). Antonio Romero finished well to win the 200 fly (1:46.58), followed by Sega winning the 200 free (1:37.09). Saka, Zivanovic, Odorici and Gapinski posted a time of 1:26.40 to win the 200 medley relay.
Saturday’s action began with Saka, Zivanovic, Ricky Balduccini and Odorici swimming away from the field in the 400 medley relay, and Kilavuz claimed his second distance win in the 500 free (4:26.14) before Balduccini grabbed the top spot in the 100 fly.
Saka pulled away for his third win in the 200 back (1:45.65), with Yeboah doubling up with a comfortable win in the 100 free (43.86). Lukas Vetkoetter grabbed first in the 400 IM (3:54.61), and the team of Odorici, Yeboah, Saka and Gapinski swam a time of 1:19.30 to win the 200 free relay.
In diving, Max Fowler won 1-meter (354.68) and platform (346.35) while Duke got its only men’s win of the meet when Charlie Berman won 3-meter diving (361.20).
