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2018 Women’s ACCs: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

2018 WOMEN’S ACCS

This morning will see races in the 100 fly, 400 IM, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back, and 1 meter diving. Grace Oglesby will look to back up her fast fly leg of last night’s 200 IM today. Virginia will be looking to ride their momentum from yesterday, when they established themselves as the team leaders. NC State will look to catch up to Louisville, which they are only 40 points behind, and get back into the race for the title.

Can the defending 400 IM champion Reka Gyory bounce back after only qualifying for the B final in the 200 IM yesterday? Will anyone be able to match Mallory Comerford‘s speed in the 200 free this morning? Will Natalie Pierce kickstart an otherwise fairly quiet Florida State in the 100 breast? Will Elise Haan back up her 23.5 200 medley relay lead-off split in the 100 back today?

100 FLY

Top 8

  1. Tayla Lovemore (FSU) – 51.68
  2. Grace Oglesby (Louisville) – 51.78
  3. Leah Goldman (Duke) – 52.23
  4. Anna Pang (Virginia) – 52.46
  5. Kylie Jordan (Duke) – 52.61
  6. Nastja Govesjek (Luoisville) – 52.71
  7. Maggie Gruber (VT) – 52.80
  8. Krista Duffield (NC State) – 52.81

Florida State’s Tayla Lovemore could be giving the Seminoles what they need to start accumulating more points, taking the prelims of the 100 fly by 1-tenth of a second over Grace Oglesby. Notably, Mallory Comerford decided to swim the 200 free instead of the 100 fly, a decision that while not that surprising, was somewhat a mystery because she’s already qualified to swim both at the NCAAs.

Lovemore blasted a 23.85 on the 1st 50 to outsplit the field by half a second. She also went her season best by half a second. Kylie Jordan (Duke) had the fastest 2nd 50, posting a 27.18. Duke qualified 2 swimmers to the A final, Leah Goldman and Kylie Jordan, which is big for Duke since they’re in a tight battle with Notre Dame for 5th currently.

400 IM

  • Meet Record – 4:04.21
  • ACC Record – 4:03.51

Top 8

  1. Reka Gyory (Virginia Tech) – 4:07.74
  2. Rachael Bradford-Feldman (Louisville) – 4:08.23
  3. Hannah Moore (NC State) – 4:10.24
  4. Lizzie Devitt (Duke) – 4:10.39
  5. Julia Poole (NC State) – 4:11.28
  6. Erin Earley (Virginia) – 4:11.58
  7. Kate Moore (NC State) – 4:12.43
  8. Rachel Politi (Virginia) – 4:12.78

Reka Gyorgy used a quick front half to take the top seed for tonight, posting a 4:07.74. She split a 56.81 on the fly leg and 1:01.10 on the back to lead the entire field by a second at the 200 mark. She also split 1:11.09 on the breast leg, one of the fastest splits in the field. Rachael Bradford-Feldman is seeded 2nd, about half a second off Gyorgy.

NC State had a good showing in prelims today, qualifying 3 swimmers for the A final, which will give them boost they need in team scoring to catch up to Virginia and Louisville. There’s also 3 freshmen in the A final field, those 3 being  5-7th seeds Julia Poole, Erin Earley, and Kate Moore.

200 FREE

  1. Mallory Comerford (Louisville) – 1:43.76
  2. Jen Marrkand (Virginia) – 1:43.85
  3. Megan Moroney (Virginia) – 1:44.55
  4. Kyla Valls (Virginia) – 1:44.79
  5. Eryn Eddy (Virginia) – 1:44.85
  6. Laine Reed (Virginia) – 1:45.12
  7. Abigail Dolan (Notre Dame) – 1:45.21
  8. Zhada Fields (UNC) – 1:45.24

Mallory Comerford was controlled as she took the top seed for tonight with a 1:43.76. Her back 3 50s were 26-points, while tonight we’ll likely see all 3 of those at 25-point.

The biggest story out of this prelims race, however, is Virginia’s massive team performance that somehow outdid their performance from the 50 free yesterday. Jen Marrkand led a field of 5 Virginia teammates that finished 2nd-6th this morning. Of that group there is a freshman, Kyla Valls, who went 1:44.79. On top of the 5 A finalists, Virginia has the 9th and 10th seeds for tonight as well. That sets Virginia up to possibly score over 150 points in just this event tonight.

Abigail Dolan gave Notre Dame its first A final qualification of the day, giving the Fighting Irish what they need to try and stay in the top 5.

100 BREAST

  • Meet Record – 58.26, Andee Cotrell
  • ACC Record – 57.79, Emma Reaney
  1. Natalie Pierce (FSU) – 59.36
  2. Caroline Hauder (UNC) – 1:00.04
  3. Brooke Perrotta (UNC) – 1:00.27
  4. Lina Rathsack (Pitt) – 1:00.44
  5. Morgan Friesen (Louisville) – 1:00.49
  6. Meaghan O’Donnell (Notre Dame) – 1:00.75
  7. Mariia Astashkina (Louisville) – 1:00.76
  8. Joelle Vereb (VT) – 1:00.77

Natalie Pierce gave Florida State its 2nd top seed for finals of the day, posting a 59.36 to top the fild by well over half a second. She swam very tight splits for a 100 breast, taking it out in 28.55 and bringing it home in 30.81. Caroline Hauder had the fastest 1st 50 in the field however, going in 27.91, but coming home in 32.13. If Hauder can come home a little faster tonight, she’ll have a good shot at taking the title.

The A final tonight will have 5 freshmen, signalling a bright future for breaststroke in the ACC. Those 5 freshmen are Hauder, Brooke Perrotta, Morgan Friesen, Mariia Astashkina, and Joelle Vereb.

100 BACK

  • Meet Record – 50.74, Courtney Bartholomew
  • ACC Record – 50.01, Courtney Bartholomew
  1. Elise Haan (NC State) – 51.42
  2. Caroline Baldwin (UNC) – 52.02
  3. Megan Moroney (Virginia) – 52.34
  4. Abby Richter (Virginia) – 52.57
  5. Alina Kendzior (Louisville) – 52.59
  6. Klaudia Nazieblo (VT) – 52.61
  7. Carly Quast (Notre Dame) – 52.63
  8. Maddie Hess (Duke) – 52.89

Elise Haan went her 2nd fastest time ever and fastest of the season to take the prelims of the 100 back. Caroline Baldwin finished .60 seconds behind Haan for her 2nd fastest performance of the season. At the ACCs last year, Baldwin went 51-mid all 3 times she swam the 100 back (includes 400 medley relay lead-off).

Megan Moroney is back, posting a 52.34 for a lifetime best by half a second, and the 3rd seed for tonight. That time was also her fastest of the season by over a second. It took a 52.65 to be invited to the NCAAs last year, giving Moroney a good chance at being invited with her time from this morning.

Virginia picked up another pair of A finalists, giving them the most by far for today, and putting them in a good position to expand their lead in team scoring going into the final day of competition.

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SwimMom
6 years ago

Great Job UVA!!! You can swim Freestyle!!! What place did 4Med Relay come in??

Sunshine
6 years ago

The competition in this Conference meet has been VERY exciting to watch! I have really enjoyed it … The close relays, meet records and surprise wins make “The ACC: the place to be!”

Swimmer
6 years ago

Monster morning for UVA. I am always amused when I see comments about the ladies being shaved or not. Like that would make a big difference. I have yet to see a lady with a full beard, back hair or chest hair Shaved or not shaved you are not talking a huge resistance factor.

Al Albertson
6 years ago

Virginia seems rested and maybe even shaved for this meet. I’m taking the results with a grain of salt. Show me more and I may start to believe in desorbo. Remember, he’s never actually been a head coach!

OldWahooVA
Reply to  Al Albertson
6 years ago

Probably everyone but Comerford, Baldwin, Marrkand, Haan, Gyorgy, Moore and Pierce is completely rested and shaved – not too many, if any, other A times achieved to date in the conference. No use holding back for NCAA’s until you are sure you will be there.

Hannah
Reply to  OldWahooVA
6 years ago

You don’t have to have an A cut to be safety in to NCAAs. The invited times don’t usually drop by more than a second

4whatitsworth
Reply to  Al Albertson
6 years ago

Neither had Braden Halloway I don’t believe and it didn’t take him long! And in all fairness, Desorbo started with a much more talented group of athletes. If I were an AD, I’d hire young and hungry over pedigree and years experience head coaching anyday! Much more bang for your buck!

Al Albertson
Reply to  Braden Keith
6 years ago

Braden, behave.

#STATEment
Reply to  Al Albertson
6 years ago

Let’s see how they back up when it really matter’s at NCAA’s. They are running on their second taper at the moment (duel meet vs NC State and now ACC’s)

I predict they don’t even crack the top 10 at NCAA’s. You herd it here first!

Al Albertson
Reply to  #STATEment
6 years ago

Could not agree more #STATEMENT. You’re one of the few who actually gets it! I’m tired of the nitwiting on these boards.

#RIJ
Reply to  #STATEment
6 years ago

The NC “whine” you’re drinking on Friday afternoon is leaving a “salty” aftertaste on your soft palate!

#Misstatement
Reply to  #STATEment
6 years ago

Even tho Braden exposed #statement as a troll, I can’t help but respond with some common sense. Let’s say UVa is tapered and may not drop a ton at NCs, I seem to have been hearing a lot of “top time in the nation” at this meet, so unless all the other top teams in the nation eschew a conference meet taper and save it all for NCs (which I would predict is maybe one or two teams), UVa will score just fine at NCs, and your “don’t crack the top 10” prediction will look mighty foolish. And by the way, it’s “heard” and not “herd” unless you are referring to cattle.

Yozhik
6 years ago

Let’s see if Mallory Comerford makes a statement at 200 free tonight. So it will be no mystery in her choice between events at this meet. 1:40 in relay with a nice splits says that she is very serious about success in this event in NCAA. I won’t be surprised if she swims 200 and 500 in March.

Swammer2
6 years ago

UVA’s performance is incredible. I’m sorry but anyone who is looking at these results has to realize how much this exposes the Busch brothers and their staff.

UVA lost Leah Smith, Laura Simon, Kaitlyn Jones and other valuable pieces to graduation, yet they’re in a position to win ACCs after losing the meet last year with all those pieces? DeSorbo is prime win with way less overall talent than last year (not taking away from the talent currently on the team).

Not to mention a lot of these stellar swims are coming from Juniors and Seniors who were mostly mediocre under the previous staff. If I’m the former head coach I’m looking at these results and realizing I have… Read more »

SwimGeek
Reply to  Swammer2
6 years ago

True – some major breakout swims by juniors/seniors. But also a LOT of big performances by freshman. UVA is now in the driver’s seat for this meet and would have to have a horrible day 3 to lose. After the kind of meet they are having in DeSorbo’s first season, recruiting is going to be off the charts. And while the guys team has a much bigger climb to make, they must be chomping at the bit after watching what their teammates are doing this week.

SwimGeek
Reply to  Swammer2
6 years ago

And all-timer Courtney Bartholomew from the year before.

Crusty
Reply to  Swammer2
6 years ago

With the school Desorbo has too I agree recruiting will be off the charts. Men will climb quickly. The battle between Louisville State and UVA will be great for years to come.

DeSelm must be in a corner crying. As Desorbo has already shown…he will pick all the recruits from N.C., VA, DC, etc. UVA is a better school and with that staff and results, why would any top recruit from that area even look at UNC. Not to mention N.C. state pulling from the same pool. UNC has no shot. I wonder if Countie would still have ended up at UNC had DeSorbo been at UVA and had this performance last year.

ACC is on fire,

Now all that’s… Read more »

Joel Lin
Reply to  Swammer2
6 years ago

This reminds me of Durden’s immediate impact at Cal. UVa is a hot number now.

UVa simply printed a title this morning & with DeSorbo recruiting off this momentum & don’t think anything is out of reach now. UVa will be a legit NCAA title contender.

SwimGeek
6 years ago

UVA just had *SEVEN* women go 1:45.4 or better in the 200. 5 in big finals and two more in 9th and 10th that missed by hundredths.

paloozas
Reply to  SwimGeek
6 years ago

that’s more than stanford’s 200 free group: they have drabot, eastin, forde, ledecky, and manuel under 1:45.4

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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