TUSCALOOSA, Ala.?The University of Kentucky men?s and women?s swimming and diving teams escaped Tuscaloosa with wins, as both teams defeated the Crimson Tide in the final road contest of the season in dual meet action. The UK women earned a 161.50-138.50 decision, while the men claimed a 157-141 triumph.
Kentucky combined for 20 individual wins against their SEC counterparts. Four individuals earned two wins on the afternoon, sophomores Casey Miller and Alex Forbes, junior Shane Eliason and senior Jenny Bradford led the way. The Blue and White were also tops in all four relays at the site of the 2008 SEC Championships.
On the men?s side, Kentucky opened the afternoon with a win in the 200-medley relay behind Eliason, senior Will Vietti, junior Warren Grobbelaar and Forbes. The quartet finished in a time of 1:29.57, a season best mark for the team.
Freshman Tyler Reed continued his promising first season with a season-best time in his winning 200-freestyle race. Reed tapped in 1:38.16, earning the sixth best time in school history. Vietti followed with a win in the 100-breast (56.17). Senior Grant Nelson got in on the action taking the 200-butterfly in a time of 1:49.42.
Forbes led a 1-2-3 finish in the 50-freestyle. The sophomore clocked in a time of 20.63, with teammates Eric McGinnis (20.69) and Elvis Burrows (20.93) following closely behind. After the diving break, Forbes again led the pack with a win in the 100-free (45.30). It marked the second consecutive week that Forbes outlasted the field in both sprint freestyle events, as he achieved the same feat a week ago at Ohio State.
Eliason captured the first of his two wins on the afternoon touching in a time of 1:50.28 to take the 200-backstroke event. Grobbelaar enjoyed another impressive outing in the 100-fly staking claim to first place with a time of 48.67.
Closing out the individual heats, Eliason led a trio of UK swimmers to finish in the top-three of the 200-individual medley. Eliason notched a 1:53.15 finish, with Nelson owning second in a time of 1:54.57, and senior Kristian Outinen placing third timing in at 1:55.04.
Kentucky secured the win on the road in dominating fashion by winning the final relay event. The 400-free relay team of Reed, Forbes, Grobbelaar and McGinnis clocked in 3:01.25, to secure the race and the meet.
On the women?s side, Kentucky began much like the men?s squad with a win in the 200-medley relay. Seniors Jill Southerlan, Lindsay Myhre, and Heather and Jenny Bradford tapped first with a time of 1:43.40 to begin the meet with a flourish.
Miller led a 1-2 finish in the 200-free earning her first win of the meet. Miller (1:52.30), edged teammate freshman Kayla Sergesketter who touched in 1:52.56. Sophomore Megan Pulskamp placed first in the 200-fly clocking in a time of 2:03.40.
Jenny Bradford won the 50-free in just 22.93, just shades off a season-best time. She returned to take the 100-free with a 50.84 finish.
On the boards, senior Kari Retrum took first on the one-meter with a score of 282.30, and freshman Jessie Snowden placed second tallying a 272.47 mark. Retrum would also place second on the three-meter scoring 282.98 points.
Juniors Haleigh Kerns and Leah Harms paced the distance swimmers with a 1-2 finish in the 500-free. Kerns (5:01.50) earned top honors after she out touched Harms who secured a season-best time of 5:01.60.
Heather Bradford then took the 100-fly with a season-best clip of 54.89, finishing just a pace ahead of teammate Pulskamp who took second in a time of 56.60. Miller rounded out the individual wins capturing first in the 200-IM with a season-best time of 2:05.81.
Kentucky ended the night behind the squad of Heather Bradford, Sergesketter, Pulskamp and Jenny Bradford who captured the 400-free relay in 3:24.66, also a season-best time.
UK returns to the pool for its final dual meet of the season on Saturday. The Wildcats will host Cincinnati in the season finale. Prior to the meet Kentucky will honor its 2008 senior class. First race is slated to begin at 1:00 p.m. at the Lancaster Aquatic Center.
