Dolan and Ho Propel Notre Dame Women, Virginia Tech Men

Notre Dame v. Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech

• November 2nd-3rd, 2018
• Day 1 Recap
• Full Results
• Notre Dame Release
• VT Release
• Scores
  • Women: Notre Dame 256, Virginia Tech 97; Notre Dame 255, Pitt 98; Virginia Tech 189.5, Pitt 163.5
  • Men: Notre Dame 232, Pitt 121; Virginia Tech 180, Notre Dame 173; Virginia Tech 239, Pitt 112

Women’s Recap

Notre Dame women continue to look sharp, as they’re now up to 7-0-1 on the season after resounding victories over Pitt and Virginia Tech this weekend. Once again, the Fighting Irish opened up the competition with a relay win. Abbie Dolan had the exact same 22.35 split anchoring the 200 medley relay as she did on the 200 free yesterday, as Notre Dame took the medley in 1:40.21.

Dolan can do more than just drop consistent 50 free splits, however. She doubled up individually, as well, taking the 200 fly in 1:58.01 and the 200 free in 1:46.83, times that rank 12th and 10th currently.

Notre Dame also got individual wins from Lindsay Stone (4:50.54 in the 500 free) and Meghan O’Donnell, who completed her sweep of the breaststrokes with a 2:18.75 in the 200.

The Fighting Irish also won the 400 free in 3:22.51, with Dolan leading off in 49.35.

Pitt came out on top in the closest race of the day, as Rachel Brown just touched out Notre Dame’s Katie Smith 23.30 to 23.43 in the 50 free.  Valerie Daigneault claimed Pitt’s other two wins, doubling up with a 2:01.83 200 IM & a 55.21 100 back.

Men’s Recap

This was largely a battle between Notre Dame and Virginia Tech, as each easily toppled Pitt, but Virginia Tech just edged out Notre Dame by 7 points.

Ian Ho ripped a 19.24 anchor leg to swim down Notre Dame’s Aaron Schultz and propel the Hokies to a 1:28.65 victory in the medley relay to get things started. Ho would come back later in the session to win the 50 in 19.91, which puts 8th in the nation so far this year. He also provided a 43.36 split on Virginia Tech’s winning 400 free relay; the Hokies’ 2:56.39 there ranks 6th currently.

Two more Hokies earned individual wins: 17 year-old freshman Blake Manoff (1:47.17  200 fly), and Lane Stone, who’s 1:36.32 is the 4th-fastest this season.

Notre Dame and Pitt each got two individual wins. Notre Dame’s Zach Yeadon followed up his 8:58 in the 1000 on Friday with a 4:20.34 victory in the 500, while Jack Montesi got the win in the 100 back (48.34) after just getting touched out the day before in the 200 back.

Pitt’s Samy Helmbacher was the only man to earn an individual double on the day. First, he took the 200 IM in 1:47.83, just ahead of Notre Dame’s Marci Barta, who yesterday swam the fastest time in the country in the 400 IM.  Helmbacher later won the 200 breast in 2:02.14.