Oct. 19, 2012
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky swimming dropped its season opening meet to Indiana University and the University of Tennessee Friday afternoon as the three teams competed in a tri-meet at the Lancaster Aquatic Center on the campus of the University of Kentucky. Kentucky’s divers, however, were off the charts against the Hoosiers and the Vols.
Kentucky swimming head coach Gary Conelly knew they would be in for a challenge against their talented opponents, and they got all they could ask for early in the season. The men fell to IU 196.00-104.00 while also dropping to UT, 194.00-106.00.
The women’s team also struggled falling to IU 189.00-111.00 and to UT, 201.00-98.00.
“On the swimming side of things, we have a long ways to go,” said Conelly. “The team’s got some potential. It’s going to be difficult with the injuries on the women’s side. The men, they have some other issues as far as getting everything together. But I was really pleased with Megan Eppler and Lucas (Gerotto) was really good in the 100-fly.”
Gerotto picked up the lone victory of the meet for Kentucky. In the 100-butterfly, Gerotto touched the wall first with a final time of 49.70 with teammate Tripp Crosswaite (50.51) finishing in third.
Both of UK’s men’s and women’s teams earned third place finishes in the 200-medley relay. Laura Dawson (26.84), Sam Shaheen (29.57), Christina Bechtel (24.99), and Megan Eppler (22.99) finished with a time of 1:44.39. Meanwhile the men’s team comprised of Ramon Walton (23.64), Carlos Sierra (26.62), Lucas Gerotto (21.68), and Chris Lott (20.82) clocked in at 1:32.76.
In the women’s 400-freestyle relay, Eppler (51.50), Mandy Myers (52.15), Abby Myers (53.93), and Julia Gerotto (53.66) helped Kentucky earn a second place finish with a final time of 3:31.24.
The women’s swimmers picked up two second place finishes from Eppler. In the 50-freestyle, Eppler finished behind Tennessee’s Faith Johnson (23.09) with a final time of 23.47. Eppler also grabbed the runner-up in the 100-freestyle with a time of 50.91.
Julia Gerotto picked up a third place finish early in the meet in the 1000-freestyle with a time of 10:19.37.
In the women’s 100-butterfly, Mandy Myers came in third (56.25) with Bechtel (56.43) right behind her in fourth place.
Ramon Walton grabbed a third place finish with a final time of 51.91. Travis Green also grabbed a third place time of 4:36.35 in the 500-freestyle race.
The divers found much more success on the boards on Friday. Greg Ferrucci dominated the men’s three meter diving event with a score of 423.25. John Fox finished the event fourth with a score of 332.50. Ferrucci also claimed second place in the men’s one-meter diving with a score of 361.95.
Kentucky took the top two spots in the women’s one-meter diving event. Rebecca Hamperian took first for the Cats with a score of 298.35, while Sarah Chewning followed her in second scoring a 282.20.
In women’s three-meter diving, Christa Cabot took first place with a final score of 308.05. Sarah Chewning (305.05) took home third in the three meter for Kentucky.
“The divers had an outstanding showing,” said Conelly. “Those were two outstanding diving teams and for them to do that well, in particularly against Indiana, we were really excited about that.”
The Wildcats will be back in action next Friday, Oct. 26, in Columbia, Mo., to take on SEC opponents Missouri, Arkasas, and Southern Illinois at 2 p.m. ET.
