Bams Posts Lifetime Best 200 Breast as Alabama Beats FSU

ALABAMA VS. FLORIDA STATE VS. MIAMI

• Results
• Hosted by Florida State
• Saturday, January 13th
• 25 Yards
• Dual Meet Format

FINAL TEAM SCORES:

• MEN: Alabama 156.5, FSU 143.5
• WOMEN: Alabama 153, FSU 143
• WOMEN: Alabama 209, Miami 81
• WOMEN: FSU 231, Miami 68

The Florida State women hosted a tri-meet with ACC rival Miami and SEC foe Alabama last weekend, while the men also squared off with the Crimson Tide. Alabama came away with nothing but victories, with the Seminole women fell to the Tide but beat the Hurricanes.

Bama’s Flora Molnar contributed 2 individual wins. In the 50 free, Molnar led a sweep for her team in 22.44 as teammates Bailey Scott (23.09) and Lindsay Morrow (23.13) followed. Molnar went on to dominate the 100 fly, touching over a second and a half ahead of the field in a quick 52.67.

Florida State’s Natalie Pierce helped the Seminoles secure a win over Miami with her breaststroke wins. Pierce used her front-half speed to take the edge over Alabama’s Justine Macfarlane, 1:01.16 to 1:01.48, in the 100 breast. In the 200 breast, she came from behind on the 3rd 50 to outpace Macfarlane again, winning in 2:12.67 to Macfarlane’s 2:13.80.

On the men’s side, Alabama All-American Laurent Bams picked up a sweep of the breaststroke events. Bams is typically known for his freestyle speed, but has been taking on the breaststrokes in dual meets this season and acting as the team’s relay breaststroker. In the 100 breast, he finished nearly 2 seconds ahead of the field with his 53.97. Bams returned for the 200 breast, setting a new lifetime best as he was the only swimmer to break 2:00 with a 1:59.41.

PRESS RELEASE – ALABAMA:

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Alabama swimming and diving teams opened 2018 with a trio of wins in Tallahassee, Fla., Friday afternoon. The Crimson Tide women beat FSU by a score of 153-143 and Miami (Fla.) 209-81, while the UA men down FSU 156.5-143.5.

Alabama’s women won seven individual events and both relays, led by freshman Flora Molnar who swam on both winning relays as well as taking first in the 50 freestyle (22.44) and 100 butterfly (52.67). The Tide men won 10 individual events and both relays. Junior Laurent Bams led the way for the men, swimming on both winning relays while taking top honors in the 100 (53.97) and 200 (1:59.41) breaststrokes. Bams’ time in the 200 breaststroke was a career-best mark and the Tide’s fastest of the season.

Molnar was joined on the Tide’s winning 200 medley relay (1:39.55) by juniors Katie Kelsoe and Justine Macfarlaneas well as senior Bailey Scott. Molnar and Scott were joined by seniors Temarie Tomley and Lindsay Morrow on the winning 200 freestyle relay (1:30.36).

Senior captain Mia Nonnenberg won the first and last individual events of the day, touching the wall first in the 1,650 freestyle (16:50.49) and the 400 individual medley (4:16.60). Freshman Leonie Kullmann won the 200 freestyle (1:49.51) and 500 freestyle (4:54.19), while senior Hannah Musser won the 200 butterfly (2:02.02).

For the men, Bams combined with sophomore Christopher Staka, senior Luke Kaliszak and junior Robert Howard to win the 200 medley relay (1:27.30), while Howard, Bams and Kaliszak were joined by sophomore Zane Waddell in winning the 200 freestyle relay (1:19.45).

Howard also won the 200 freestyle (1:37.14), Staka won the 100 backstroke (48.05) and Waddell won the 50 (20.00) and 100 (43.82) freestyles. Staka’s winning 100 backstroke effort was a season-best time.

Senior Will Freeman won the 200 butterfly (1:48.49) and the 500 freestyle (4:33.57). Freshman Christian Strycker won the 1,650 freestyle (15:47.11) and senior Christopher Reid won the 200 backstroke (1:47.51).

The Crimson Tide has a short turnaround for its next meet, taking on Ohio State on Thursday, Jan. 18 at noon in the Alabama Aquatic Center. It will be Senior Day for Alabama.For all the latest information on the Alabama swimming and diving teams, follow AlabamaSwimDive on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. General athletic news can be found @UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and Alabama Athletics on Facebook.

PRESS RELEASE – FLORIDA STATE:

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – It took all 32 events to decide the outcome, however the No. RV/19 Florida State swimming and diving teams came up just short against No. 20/17 Alabama, but defeated ACC foe Miami on Friday at the Morcom Aquatics Center.

The women’s team moves to 4-6 behind a dominating 231-68 victory over Miami, while suffering a close loss to No. 20 Alabama 153-143. The 19th-ranked men’s team is now 3-4 following its 156.50-143.50 to the No. 17 Crimson Tide.

Alabama opened the women’s meet winning the 200 medley relay, 1650 free and 200 free before the Seminoles put up a much needed sweep in the 100 back, led by freshman Madeline Cohen, who won with a time of 55.48 followed by senior Ariel Barber at 56.14. Freshman Ana Zortea dominated heat two of the race, securing third with a mark of 56.30.

Senior Natalie Pierce held off Alabama’s Justine Macfarlane in the 100 breast, winning with a time of 1:01.16.

However, the Noles surrendered a sweep in the 200 fly and 50 free, putting the Crimson Tide ahead by just over 20 points.

The Noles fought back in the second portion of the meet, rebounding with three big wins.

Freshman Emma Terebo and senior Alexi Smith answered their fourth and fifth place showing in the 50 free with a one-two finish in the 100 free with Terebo leading the way with a mark of 50.40, followed by Smith in second at 50.57.

Florida State gained more ground in the 200 back as junior Shelly Drozda stepped up and took home the victory in dominating fashion (1:58.39) and Cohen held a steady second place throughout the race, touching at 2:01.45.

Pierce added an impressive win in the 200 breast, clocking 2:12.67 as both swims were the fastest of her career in a dual meet.

“She was great today,” Studd said. “She’s really believing in the 200 now and she beat a really talented girl from Alabama.”

Juniors Natalie Purnell (2:17.19) and McKenna Harris (2:19.51) followed Pierce picking up valuable third and fourth place points.

Alabama answered with a sweep in the 500 free and a first and second place showing in the 100 fly, however with both 1-meter and 3-meter diving scores factored in, the Noles had an eight-point advantage heading into the final two races.

Miami was victorious on both boards, however the Noles added a pair of sweeps over the Crimson Tide.

Sophomore Ayla Bonniwell finished third on 1-meter with a total of 271.50 and senior Blaire Mulka followed in fifth at 271.50. Later in the 3-meter competition, Bonniwell moved up to take second with a total of 316.65 while Mulka added another fifth place at 274.10.

The Crimson Tide added a sweep in the 400 IM, leaving the meet to be decided on the final relay.

Florida State took the blocks with senior Tayla Lovemore, freshman Elise Olsen, Terebo and Smith, and finished a body-length shy of the win, touching with a time of 1:31.45.

The men’s meet was also a nail-bitter, however it was Florida State’s depth that kept the meet close. FSU had three out of five scorers in each event along with four individual victories.

Senior Calvin Bryant was the runner up in the 1650 free (15:53.72) and junior Daniel Bis was just behind him in third (15:55.48).

Sophomore Felipe Ribeiro de Souza led the way in the 200 free, finishing second with a time of 1:38.91 and he would later tie for second in the 100 free, clocking 44.82, just ahead of junior Will Pisani in third at 44.86.

In the 100 back, senior Connor Kalisz (49.06) was second and his classmate Matt Ankerholz followed with a second place finish of his own in the 100 breast, touching at 55.89.

Sophomore Max Polianksi was the leader for the Noles in the 200 fly, finishing second at 1:51.14 just ahead of senior Jonathan Ratliff in third at 1:51.25.

Florida State suffered a significant disqualification in the 50 free, however Pisani stepped up to claim second at 20.23, just ahead of senior Joseph Plechy in third at 20.51.

Freshman Joshua Davidson continued to impress on 3-meter as he was the winner with a score of 370.55, leading the Noles in the sweep over Alabama. Sophomore Cameron Thatcher placed third at 348.50 followed by senior Tyler Roberge at 325.85.

Sophomore Griffin Alaniz (1:48.65) and Kalisz (1:48.98) added second and third place finishes in the 200 back just before Ankerholz (2:01.25) and Horrego (2:03.05) accomplished the same feat in the 200 breast.

Bryant produced another second place finish in distance, swimming a time of 4:35.88 in the 500 free.

With four events remaining, the Noles found their biggest boost that started with junior Kanoa Kaleoaloha winning the 100 fly with a time of 47.94, followed by Horrego and Alaniz contributing a big one-two punch in the 400 IM, touching with times of 4:02.62 and 4:03.76 respectively.

In 1-meter diving, it was Thatcher who bested Davidson for the win as the pair provided another jolt with first and second places. Thatcher tallied his second highest score of the season, putting up 353.95 ahead of Davidson in second at 344.75.

The Noles needed to touch first and second in the final relay in order to take down the Crimson Tide, however FSU’s top team took second with a time of 1:19.62 behind Pisani, Plechy, junior Emir Muratovic and senior Chad Mylin.

Florida State returns home to face Notre Dame in a two-day dual, starting on Jan. 19 at 4 p.m. followed by another session on Jan. 20 at 10 a.m.

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PRESS RELEASE – MIAMI:

TALLAHASSEE — The University of Miami swimming & diving team dropped its first competition of the spring Friday afternoon, falling to host Florida State and Alabama in a tri-meet hosted by the Seminoles at the Morcom Aquatics Center.

Miami’s diving unit impressed on Friday, with redshirt freshman Alicia Blagg capturing both individual events. Blagg, who missed her freshman campaign due to injury but has represented the United Kingdom at the Olympics, took first in the 1-meter (286.30) and 3-meter (334.60) springboard events. Carolyn Chaney (282.60) took second in the 1-meter while senior Wally Layland (271.75) took fourth.

Layland (299.85, third) and Chaney (286.85, fourth) also impressed in the 3-meter.

The Hurricanes’ men’s diving duo of freshman Zach Cooper and redshirt sophomore David Dinsmore, who have dominated the platform in the early going of their careers, also competed in springboard events. Cooper took second in the 3-meter (352.55) and third in the 1-meter (317.45). Dinsmore, who won the 2017 NCAA national championship in the platform last season, only competed in the 1-meter, where he finished fourth (313.95).

Sophomore Claire McGinnis opened the individual swimming events with a seventh-place finish in the 1,650-yard freestyle (17:57.78). Sophomore Manon Viguier (1:54.33) and freshman Carmen San Nicolas(1:55.28) both competed in the 200 free, while freshman Karolina Hajkova made her Miami debut with a fifth-place finish in the 100 backstroke (57.42).

Fellow freshman Alaina Skellett (57.79) and junior Roxanne Yu (58.30) also competed in the 100 back for the Hurricanes, who were coming off a two-week trip to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Miami’s talented freshman tandem of Laurynn Harvard (1:05.62) and Annie Kyriakidis (1:05.97) swam the 100 breaststroke, while veteran Jessica Hurley (2:10.55) led the way for the Hurricanes in the 200 butterfly.

Freshman Sydney Knapp was the Hurricanes’ top finisher in the 50 free (24.82), while Viguier (52.56) and San Nicolas (53.40) were the top UM duo in the 100 free.

Competing in one of her signature events, Yu delivered a third-place finish in the 200 back (2:02.75) and Hajkova continued her impressive debut with a fifth-place finish in the same event (2:03.76). Skellett was not far behind in sixth (2:04.35).

Kyriakidis (2:23.16) and Harvard (2:24.25) both swam the 200 breast, while Viguier (5:06.16) and McGinnis (5:21.97) both competed in the 500 free.

Skellett (57.83), Yu (59.15) and Hurley (1:01.31) all represented the Hurricanes in the 100 fly, and junior Katie Sickinger (4:35.94) was Miami’s top finisher in the 400 IM.