Duke Leads After Day One of Tri-Meet

Friday, October 29

Durham, N.C.

5 P.M.

Duke University

UNC Wilmington

Duke Leads After Day One of Tri-Meet

10/29/2021 9:58:00 PM | Swimming & Diving

Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

DURHAM – The Duke swimming and diving team leads Boston College and UNC Wilmington after the first day of a two-day meet in the programs home opener on Friday night at Taishoff Aquatics Pavilion.

The 24th-ranked Duke women lead Boston College 141-26 and UNC Wilmington 140-27. Duke's men lead the Eagles 127.5-39.5 and the Seahawks 110-57.

The Duke diving team was on full display in men's and women's platform diving and the men's one-meter and women's three-meter events prior to the start of the swimming portion of the meet.

Sophomore Seamus Harding Jr. (331.10), freshman Will McCollum (329.30) and senior Harel Anolick (322.65) placed first, second and third, respectively, in the one-meter competition. In the women's three-meter, rookie Margo O'Meara, junior Maddy Pfaff and sophomore Emily Rakestraw scored 377.70, 294.15 and 283.55 to sweep the top three spots.

The Blue Devils also competed in platform diving, scoring five marks that placed in the top-10 scores in program history in the event. Junior Ali Watson improved her second-place score in program history with a 332.55, while Rakestraw (266.55) and O'Meara (262.73) went seventh and eighth, respectively. Anolick and McCollum scored 319.50 and 297.68 to place seventh and 10th in program lore, respectively.

Duke started the swim meet strong, taking first and second in both the women's and men's 200 medley relays. The quartet of junior Emma Shuppert, sophomore Catherine Belyakov, freshman KyAnh Truong and freshman McKenna Smith touched in 1:41.86 to place first on the women's side while sophomore David Chang, senior Cole Reznick, junior Charlie Gingrich and senior Matthew Whelan took first for the men (1:28.62).

Individually, the Duke women controlled the meet in the pool, sweeping the top three spots five of the seven individual events during the first day of the meet. The Blue Devils took two of the top three spots in the remaining two individual events.

Freshman Yixuan Chang continued a strong start to her season, leading the Blue Devils with two individual first place finishes. The Stamford, Conn., native took the top spot in the 200 individual medley (2:02.87), followed closely by junior Zoe Lusk (2:05.11) and senior Cabell Whitlow (2:05.77) in second and third, respectively. Chang also won the 200 freestyle in 1:50.19, as sophomore Catherine Belyakov followed her in second in 1:52.37.

Belyakov sported a win in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:03.65. She was followed by Lusk and graduate student Alicia Harrison in the event with times of 1:05.67 and 1:05.71 for second and third, respectively.

Sophomore Emily Lenihan led a trio of Blue Devils to sweep the top three spots of the 100 butterfly. Lenihan placed first in 56.25 while Whitlow (56.29) finished second and senior Rachel Peroni (56.77) touched third.

Two rookies, Truong and Smith, made impacts in the 50 freestyle, taking first and second with times of 23.44 and 23.59, respectively. Senior Shayna Hollander rounded out the top three with a time of 23.63.

Hollander took the top spot in the 100 backstroke in 55.58. Senior Easop Lee (55.96) and junior Emma Shuppert (56.23) followed closely in second and third.

Sophomore Sarah Foley swam in the 1,000 freestyle for the first time in her collegiate career, winning the event with a time of 10:08.71. Sophomore Catherine Purnell placed third in the event, touching in 10:20.73.

Reznick led the Duke men's side, placing first in the 200 individual medley (1:50.49) and second in the 100 breaststroke (55.59). He was followed by junior Nick Viers in the 200 individual medley, placing second in 1:52.19. Senior Henry Wu was the other top Blue Devil finisher in the 100 breaststroke, placing third with a time of 56.43.

Gingrich took the top spot in the 100 butterfly, leading a Duke sweep for the top three finishes. He placed first in 48.14 while Whelan placed second (48.38) and graduate student Brad Sanford touched third (49.26).

Kredich recorded a win in the 50 freestyle as he and sophomore Zach McIntyre finished in the top two. Kredich clocked a 20.56 while McIntyre touched in 20.65.

In the 200 freestyle, senior David Hallaron placed first with a time of 1:40.13. McIntyre followed in second place with a mark of 1:41.11.

Duke closed the first day of the meet with wins in both the men's and women's 400 freestyle. Kredich, Sanford, Whelan and McIntyre clocked 3:01.06 to place first on the men's side while Harrison, Lee, Purnell and Foley took the top spot for the women in 3:27.59.

The Duke swimming & diving team will conclude the meet with Boston College and UNC Wilmington on Saturday at the Taishoff Aquatics Pavilion. Diving will begin at 9:30 a.m., followed by the swimming events at 11 a.m.

Team Scores:
#24 Duke women 141, Boston College women 26
#24 Duke women 140, UNC Wilmington women 27

Duke men 127.5, Boston College men 39.5
Duke men 110, UNC Wilmington men 57

Top Duke Finishers by Event:
Women's Platform Diving: Ali Watson (1st), 332.55
Men's Platform Diving: Seamus Harding Jr. (1st), 344.70
Men's One-Meter: Seamus Harding Jr. (1st), 331.10
Women's Three-Meter: Margo O'Meara (1st), 377.70
Women's 200-Yard Medley Relay: Emma Shuppert, Catherine Belyakov, KyAnh Truong, McKenna Smith (1st), 1:41.86
Men's 200-Yard Medley Relay: David Chang, Cole Reznick, Charlie Gingrich, Matthew Whelan (1st), 1:28.62
Women's, 1000-Yard Freestyle: Sarah Foley (1st), 10:08.71
Men's 1000-Yard Freestyle: Brendan Driscoll (3rd), 9:33.86
Women's 50-Yard Freestyle: KyAnh Truong (1st), 23.44
Men's 50-Yard Freestyle: Coleman Kredich (1st), 20.56
Women's 200-Yard Individual Medley: Yixuan Chang (1st), 2:02.87
Men's 200-Yard Individual Medley: Cole Reznick (1st), 1:50.49
Women's 100-Yard Butterfly: Emily Lenihan (1st), 56.25
Men's 100-Yard Butterfly: Charlie Gingrich (1st), 48.14
Women's 200-Yard Freestyle: Yixuan Chang (1st), 1:50.19
Men's 200-Yard Freestyle: David Hallaron (1st), 1:40.13
Women's 100-Yard Breaststroke: Catherine Belyakov (1st), 1:03.65
Men's 100-Yard Breaststroke: Cole Reznick (2nd), 55.59
Women's 100-Yard Backstroke: Shayna Hollander (1st), 55.58
Men's 100-Yard Backstroke: David Chang (2nd), 49.23
Women's 400-Yard Freestyle Relay: Alicia Harrison, Easop Lee, Catherine Purnell, Sarah Foley (1st), 3:27.59
Men's 400-Yard Freestyle Relay: Coleman Kredich, Brad Sanford, Matthew Whelan, Zach McIntyre (1st), 3:01.06

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