Lindner, Jiang Win Three Events Each As Tar Heels Sweep Gamecocks

South Carolina vs North Carolina

• Friday, October 26, 2018
• Chapel Hill, North Carolina
• Koury Natatorium
• Live Results
• Women’s Score: UNC 157, South Carolina 143
• Men’s Score: UNC 159.5, South Carolina 140.5

Neighboring state rivals South Carolina and North Carolina had both their men’s and women’s teams face off in Chapel Hill on Friday, with the Tar Heels emerging with a pair of narrow victories over the Gamecocks. The women won 157-143, and the men prevailed 159.5-140.5.

Women’s Meet

The two teams won eight events apiece on the women’s side, with UNC freshman Sophie Lindner and South Carolina senior Emma Barksdale highlighting the field with three individual event wins each.

Lindner won the 100 back (53.85), 200 back (1:55.40) and 100 fly (54.00), and Barksdale took the 100 breast (1:01.57), 200 breast (2:14.28) and 200 IM (1:58.75).

Lindner also led off the victorious Tar Heel relay in the 200 medley, and Barksdale had the fastest split (49.57) as the anchor on the Gamecocks winning 400 free relay.

Other winners for North Carolina were seniors Zhada Fields in the 200 free (1:49.89), Kate Boyer in the 50 free (22.87) and Robyn Dryer in the 500 free (4:56.16), along with junior Brooke Bauer in the 100 free (50.47).

South Carolina freshman won the other freestyle event in the 1000, clocking 9:55.03 to beat out Dryer (10:00.55), and they also had a win in the 200 fly from freshman Melinda Novoszath (1:58.46).

A major source of the Gamecock points came from diving, as Karlee Price won the 1-meter and then Price and Mikaela Lujan went 2-3 in the 3-meter, with North Carolina’s Emily Grund taking the win.

Men’s Meet

The South Carolina men won nine events to North Carolina’s seven, but the Tar Heels’ depth led them to the dual win with a ton of 2nd and 3rd place finishes.

Sophomore Alvin Jiang was their leading scorer with three event wins, putting up dominant performances in the 100 back (47.21) and 100 fly (48.07), and then edging out teammate Sterling Smith by two one-hundredths of a second in the 100 free in a time of 45.23. Both the 100 fly and 100 free were 1-2-3-4 finishes for North Carolina.

UNC also swept the relays, with Jiang blasting a 21.93 lead-off as they won the 200 medley by two seconds in 1:28.38, and then their ‘A’ and ‘B’ relays went 1-2 in the 400 free relay in 3:01.79 and 3:03.49.

They also had wins from freshman Tucker Burhans in the 50 free (20.66) and sophomore Valdas Abaliksta in the 200 breast (1:59.64).

For the Gamecocks, senior Fynn Minuth had an impressive showing with three victories in the 200 free (1:38.80), 200 fly (1:49.81) and 500 free (4:28.45), and sophomore Lionel Khoo had a pair in the 100 breast (53.94) and 200 IM (1:50.80). Smith of UNC had his second close runner-up finish in that 100 breast as he was just .04 back in 53.98.

Freshman Rafael Davila (9:13.17) went 1-2 with teammate Cody Bekemeyer (9:15.14) in the 1000 free, and junior Kevin Liu won the 200 back in 1:47.08.

Just like the women, South Carolina picked up big diving points with Anton Down-Jenkins sweeping the 1-meter and 3-meter, going 1-2 with teammate Grant Summers in the latter.