Louisville Flashes Relay Speed in Senior Day Sweep of Cincinnati

Louisville vs. Cincinnati

• Saturday, January 29, 2022
• Ralph Wright Natatorium, Louisville, KY
• SCY
• Dual Meet Format
• Results available on Meet Mobile as “Louisville vs Cincinnati”
• Scores
  • Women: Louisville 201, Cincinnati 82
  • Men: Louisville 196, Cincinnati 98

The University of Cincinnati Bearcats took a quick over the Ohio River over the weekend to take on the University of Louisville Cardinals in Louisville on Saturday. Louisville handily defeated Cincinnati in both men’s (196-98) and women’s (201-82) competition.

Women’s Recap

The Cardinals got off to a quick start, winning the 200 medley with a time of 1:37.33, just about a second off of their season-best time of 1:36.36, which they did the previous weekend against Kentucky. That time has them ranked 11th in the NCAA this season.

That fast started continued throughout the meet, and ended up with a pool record in the 200 free relay. Gabi Albiero (22.29) Christiana Regenauer (21.79), Tristen Ulett (22.01) and Arina Openysheva (21.74) combined for a time of 1:27.83. That time moves them up to #7 in the NCAA this season.

Individually, the Cardinals got two wins from sophomore Paige Hetrick. She took the 100 back in 52.88, marking the team’s fastest time in that event this season, and also winning with her season-best time of 53.14 in the 100 fly.

Openysheva also earned two individual event wins. She swept the sprint freestyles with times of 22.44 and 48.82. That was a season-best for her in the 50 free, while she was about three-tenths off of her time from the midseason invite in the 100 free.

Pointswise, Cincinnati was led by junior Katherine Connolly, who finished 3rd in the 200 fly (2:00.57), 4th in the 200 back (2:05.46), and 2nd in the 100 fly (55.61).

Men’s Recap

It was a similar story on the men’s side, although the Bearcats walked away with a pair of wins. The men opted for slightly different lineup than the one they won NCAAs with last year, and with which they went a season-best time of 1:23.90 against Kentucky. Mitchell Whyte (22.69), Denis Petrashov (23.46), Dalton Lowe (19.71), and Haridi Sameh (19.42) combined for a 1:25.28. Breaststroker Evgenii Somov and flyer Nick Albiero both sat out this relay, although each participated in later events.

Those later events included the 200 free relay. Sameh (19.78), Lowe (19.20), Albiero (19.44) and Michael Eastman (19.26) ended the day with a season-best time of 1:17.68, which puts them just out of the top 16 nation-wide this season. Their 200 medley relay ranks #6 this season.

Sameh helped Louisville’s cause with two individual wins. He took the 50 free in 19.56, then won the 100 fly with a 46.41. He’s been under 46 in the event, but his time here was faster than his prelims time at last season’s ACC championships.

The NCAA rookie Petrashov also won two individual races, sweeping the breaststroke events with times of 53.71 and 1:57.09. Petrashov should help shore up the Cardinals’ breaststroke crew at ACCs — last year Somov swept the breaststroke events, but Louisville only managed a single C-final appearance in each event outside of Somov’s points.

The Bearcat men picked up two individual events, not taking into account any exhibitioned swims. Michael Balcerak took the 200 fly in 1:45.69, while Hunter Gubeno won the 200 back in 1:44.20.

Cincinnati Release

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Cincinnati swim and dive teams raced against the University of Louisville on Saturday at the Ralph Wright Natatorium.

The men’s team lost by a score of 196-98 and the women’s team lost by a final score of 201-82.

TOP FINISHES

• The afternoon got off to a flying start in the second event when senior Blake Hanna, senior Dom Polling, junior Michael Balcerak and sophomore Hunter Gubenofinished second in the 200-yard medley relay (1:27.40).
• In the 200-yard butterfly, Balcerak finished first with a NCAA-B standard time of 1:45.69 and freshman Collin Singler finished third with a time of 1:49.38.
• In the longest event of the day, senior Sydney St. Rose-Finear finished strong with a time of 16:28.46.
• Gubeno and Hanna were back in the points in the 200-yard backstroke with times of 1:44.20 and 1:44.95. This was a season-best time in this event for Hanna.
• The women’s and men’s 200-yard freestyle teams finished second with times of 1:34.24 and 1:23.13. The women’s team consisted of senior Maddie Exton, senior Molly Chelovitz, freshman Kaylee Nagel and freshman Meghan Fleury and the men raced senior Murat Sagdullaev, junior Mohamed Abdelbaky, Polling and Gubeno.

TWOS AND THREES
There were 10 events where the Bearcats finishing in the second and third place spots:

• Women’s 200-yard backstroke: Fleury (2:03.14) and freshman Madelyn Hensler (2:04.93).
• Women’s 200-yard butterfly: Nagel (2:20.71) and sophomore Logan Lawhorn (2:23.39).
• Men’s 200-yard butterfly: Junior Spencer Sehlhorst (2:06.67) and sophomore Jason Allen (2:07.22).
• Women’s 500-yard freestyle: sophomore Kennedy Grotjohn (5:01.68) and freshman Annabelle Young (5:03.13).
• Men’s 500-yard freestyle: Balcerak (4:27.69) and junior Kevin Leibold (4:30.01).
• Women’s 100-yard butterfly: Connolly (55.61) and senior Victoria Hunt (57.18).
• Men’s 100-yard butterfly: freshman Quinn Cynor (49.03) and sophomore Tommy Eaton (49.36).
• Women’s platform dive: freshman Anna Yaggy (169.13) and freshman Rachel Casebolt (128.25).
• Women’s 200-yard IM: sophomore Erin Shema (2:02.96) and senior Camryn Streid (2:05.31).
• Mens’ 200-yard IM: Polling (1:47.82) and Gubeno (1:48.80).

NOTABLE RESULTS

• Sophomore Calvin Coetzee finished third with a time of 1:38.92 in the men’s 200-yard freestyle and repeated the trick in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 45.49
• Junior Katherine Connolly brought home another third-place with a 2:00.57 in the 200-yard butterfly.
• Exton finished third in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 23.73 and set a new season-best.
• Graduate student Audrey Capannari finished third in the 1-meter dive with a score of 252.83.

QUOTE FROM COACH MANDY COMMONS-DISALLE
“Heading into today was not just about racing a championship team but focusing and resetting coming off a night of competition. I think the team handled the challenge very well today and executed how they needed to. They were focused and smart about preparing for each race. We had a number of personal-best times this weekend which shows me that all of our work is coming together at the right time. In the coming weeks we are going to focus on fine-tuning our racing while we start to add in some much-needed rest. The mental training is as important as physical training this at this point in the season in order for us to be ready to go down in Dallas.”

UP NEXT
The Bearcats are done with their regular season and start to prepare for the three day American Athletic Conference Championships in Dallas, Texas starting on February 16.

FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For an inside look at Cincinnati swimming and diving follow the team on Twitter and Instagram (@GoBearcatsSwim).

Louisville Release

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The No. 9/11 University of Louisville men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams swept visiting Cincinnati on Senior Day at the Ralph Wright Natatorium.  The No. 11 Cardinal women won 201-82 and the No. 9 men won 196-98.

The Cardinals were buoyed by multiple event winners Arina Openysheva (200 Medley Relay, 50 free, 100 free, 200 Free Relay), Denis Petrashov (200 Medley Relay, 100 and 200 breast), Haridi Sameh (200 Medley Relay, 50 free, 100 fly, 200 free relay), Paige Hetrick (100 back, 100 fly), Gabi Albiero (200 fly, 200 Free Relay) and Nick Albiero (100 back, 200 Free Relay).

The women won their first event with a victory in the 200 medley relay. Tristen Ulett (24.93), Mariia Astashkina(19.58), Christiana Regenauer (30.97) and Arina Openysheva (21.85) boarded a 1:37.33. In the men’s 200 medley relay, the foursome of Mitchell Whyte (22.69), Denis Petrashov (23.46), Dalton Lowe (19.71) and Haridi Sameh  (19.42) combined for the winning time 1:25.28.

In the 1000 free, Liberty Williams led wire to wire, touching first in 9:45.83. Paige McCormick was second 9:53.08 for the Cardinals. In the men’s event, Cardinal Ilia Sibirtsev held off teammate Eli Shoyat for the win, with the pair going 9:07.14 and 9:08.58 respectively.  John Bossler was third with a 9:17.81.

Alena Kraus took the  win in the 200 freestyle, putting up a time of 1:46.21. Fellow senior Diana Dunn was second with a 1:46.81 and Madie Hall completed the sweep with a 1:47.51. In a tight finish in the men’s 200 free, Colton Paulson(1:36.66) just edged fellow senior Michael Eastman’s 1:36.85 for the win. Hayden Curley was fourth in 1:39.06.

UofL’s Paige Hetrick won the 100 back with a time of 52.88 just ahead of teammate Abby Hay’s 53.35. Tatiana Salcutan was third in 54.28 to complete the Louisville sweep.  Fellow seniors Nicolas Albiero and Mitchell Whytedueled for top honors with Albiero edging out with a 46.15 to Whyte’s 46.89. Dalton Lowe completed the sweep with a 47.12. Nikos Sofianidis turned in a 47.21 as well.

Senior Mariia Astashkina won the 100 breast for the Cardinals with a time of 1:00.28 just .02 ahead of Adeline Farrington and Morgan Friesen was third in 1:00.73.  For the men, Denis Petrashov won with a 53.71 and Luke Shourds(54.36) was second just ahead of Aidan Kreiley’s 54.58.

Gabi Albiero won the 200 fly in 1:55.47 and Tristen Ulett was second for the Cards with a 1:56.20.  Cincinnati’s Michael Balcerak posted the winning time of 1:45.69 after pulling away from the field. Louisville’s Gustavo Saldo was second with a time of 1:47.42.

Senior Arina Openysheva boarded the fastest time in the 50 free, going 22.44, edging teammate Christiana Regenauer’s 22.62.  Haridi Sameh won the men’s 50 free with a 19.56. Vlad Dubinin was second with a 19.93 and Caleb Duncan completed the sweep with a 20.22 for third.

After the break, Openysheva came right back and won the 100 free with a time of 48.82. Tristen Ulett was second in 49.54 and Alena Kraus was third in 49.62. Freshman Fernanda Celidonio was fourth with a time of 49.97. For the men’s 100 free, Vlad Dubinin put up a 43.73, edging teammate Michael Eastman (44.06). Colton Paulson was third (44.57) and Kyle Worrell was fourth (44.58).

In the 200 back, Tatiana Salcutan was first, putting almost seven second between her and the field when she stopped the clock at 1:56.44. In the men’s event, UC’s Hunter Gubeno turned in the top time of 1:44.20 for the win. Louisville’s Wylie Kruse was third with a 1:46.04.

Kim Herkle won the 200 breast for the Cardinal women with a time of 2:11.21. Senior Morgan Friesen was second in 2:11.37 and Adeline Farrington completed the 1-2-3 sweep with a time of 2:18.93.  In the men’s event, Denis Petrashovstopped the clock with the winning time of 1:57.09.  Daniel Sos phad the second fastest time in exhibition with a time of 1:58.44 likewise for Aidan Kreiley’s 2:01.25.

In the 500 freestyle, freshman Polina Nevmovenko finished under five minutes with a 4:49.50. Rye Ulett (4:51.06), Maddie Luther (4:51.49) and Maria Sumida (4:52.35) joined Nevmovenko under five minutes swimming in exhibition. Murilo Sartori pulled away from the field, posting a 4:21.13 in the men’s 500.  Cardinal freshman Denis Loktev had the second fastest time in exhibition with a 4:23.59.

In the 100 butterfly, UofL’s Paige Hetrick boarded the fastest time with a 53.14. Christiana Regenauer had the second fastest time in exhibition with a 53.31.  Kelly Tichenor went 55.26, also in exhibition.  Haridi Sameh was the men’s winner, with a 46.41 with teammate Dalton Lowe touching second with a 46.96 in exhibition.

In exhibition heats of the 400 IM, Maria Sumida posted a time of 4:19.27 and Paige McCormick went 4:20.24. For the men, Ilia Sibirtsev turned in a 3:59.90, with Eli Shoyat going 4:01.21 and Ryan Hogan going 4:03.23.

In diving, UofL’s Grace Leonard won the 1M board with a score of 265.05, just ahead of second place’s Else Praasterink’s 260.93. Riley Bullock was fourth in 249.38. UofL’s Che Stephens won the men’s 1M with a 345.08, with Kivanc Gur posted the second with a 328.65. Logan Smith was third with a 281.03 and Adam Sneden was fourth with a 274.13.  In 3M, Praasterink won with a mark of 245.70 and Riley Bullock (200.10) and Grace Leonard (204.90) dove exhibition. Daniel Pinto won  the 3M for the Cardinal men with a 382.73. Adam Sneden was second (332.18).  In platform, Praasterink took top honors with a 245.70. Stephens won the men’s platform with a 345.08.

In the 200 IM, Abby Hay put up a 1:57.68 as the only swimmer under two minutes. Mariia Astashkina put up the second fastest time in exhibition with a 2:00.05, just ahead of Rye Ulett’s 2:00.82.  In the men’s 200 IM, Daniel Sos put up a 1:46.04 to win the men’s event.

In the final event, the Cardinals won the women’s 200 free relay with a pool record time posted by Gabi Albiero (22.29), Christiana Regenauer (21.79), Tristen Ulett (22.01) and Arina Openysheva’s 21.74 which combined for the time of 1:27.83.  In the men’s relay, Haridi Sameh (19.78), Dalton Lowe (19.20), Nicolas Albiero (19.44) and an anchor of 19.26 by Michael Eastman combined for the winning time of 1:17.68.