Florida Gators
IRSC
Florida Men's Swim & Dive Tops IRSC, 174-102, Prepares for LSU Sunday
Saturday, January 9, 2010 | Men's Swimming & Diving
A solid sweep of Indian River State College kicked off the new year for the University of Florida men's and women's swimming and diving programs Saturday at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center Natatorium. The Gators walked away with event victories in all 32 races, 16 each on the men's and women's sides. Florida's sixth-ranked men improved to 5-0 in dual action with a 174-102 win over IRSC, while the No. 7 UF women recorded their sixth dual meet victory of the 2009-10 season by a 168-101 margin.
A school-record performance on the three-meter diving board by senior Kara Salamone (Cooper City, Fla.) started the afternoon off right for the Gators. Salamone, who previously held the school record in the event (346.75), eclipsed her 2008-09 record with a 356.11 performance Saturday against the River. Salamone was approximately two points shy of also taking down her one-meter Florida record with a 316.58 victory in the 1M springboard.
Junior and sophomore women's divers Monica Dodson (Franklin, Ind.) and Kaylee Doback (Brandon, Fla.) each recorded career-best performances on the diving boards as well, Doback finishing third on the one-meter board with a career-best 278.65, while Dodson's three-meter performance was the best of her career, a second-place 326.41, which downed her previous 315.15.
In men's diving action, sophomore Anthony Lewark (Davie, Fla.) set a personal best on the three-meter springboard, racking up a score of 386.48 to top his 355.35 achieved against Indian River last season.
In swimming competition, second-semester eligible Gator Marco Loughran (London, England) made a splash in the men's 100-yard back, clocking a 48.43 NCAA provisional mark in the event to become the Gators' eighth individual swimmer to achieve a NCAA cut so far this season.
Junior Conor Dwyer (Winnetka, Ill.) swam the only other NCAA consolation mark for the Florida men in the 500-yard free with a 4:26.37 swim in the distance event.
Gainesville native, sophomore Lily Ramirez claimed the women's 100-yard back in 55.54, under the NCAA B cut mark to lead the way for the women's squad.
While all four men's and women's 400-yard medley and 200-yard free relays dominated in the water, the men's quartet of senior Shaune Fraser (George Town, Cayman Islands), junior Brett Fraser (George Town, Cayman Islands), Dwyer and senior Roberto Gomez (Weston, Fla.) clocked a 1:21.09, the fastest time in the event for the Orange and Blue this season.
The Gators' Saturday annual match-up with IRSC served as the first meet of a two-meet weekend, as Florida plays host to conference rival LSU Sunday, beginning at 1 p.m. The dual with the Tigers will serve as UF's cancer awareness meet, where the first 250 fans receive a free pink swimming and diving cup. Additionally, the American Cancer Society will be on hand with education tips.
LSU's No. 18 men's and No. 21 women's teams dropped the first four match-ups of the season to three tough Southeastern Conference teams in Tennessee, Auburn and Alabama, as well as being defeated by Florida State from the ACC. Both the LSU men's and women's teams won duals with the University of New Orleans Nov. 13 before heading to the Cougar Fall Classic in Houston and the Christmas Diving Classic, hosted by Alabama Dec. 17-19. The Tigers additionally made a pit stop on their way to Gainesville to compete against Florida Atlantic Jan. 8.
In the LSU/Florida series, the Gators hold an undefeated advantage over the Tigers on both the men's and women's side, 19-0 in men's action and 12-0 in women's swimming and diving. In the last outing, Florida visited LSU in Baton Rouge Oct. 23, 2008, escaping with a 185-104 win for the women and a 166-131 victory in men's action.
Complete results from the LSU/Florida match-up, as well as a recap and highlights of swim and dive action, will be available on www.GatorZone.com Sunday following competition.
Sunday's match-up with LSU will be a tape-delayed broadcast by Sun Sports, which will air Sun., Jan. 24, at 8:30 a.m. on Cox channel 48 (Gainesville), Tues., Jan. 26, at 11 p.m. and Wed., Jan. 27, at 4:30 p.m.
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