Hokie ClubKNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The Virginia Tech swimming and diving teams closed out the Tennessee Invitational Saturday evening, with both swimming teams finishing in second place. The men’s team tallied 753 points with the women scoring 907. Tennessee swept the invite with the Volunteer men scoring 1,180 and the women posting 963 points. The fourth and final day of events included the 200 back, 100 free, 1,650 free, 200 breast, 200 fly and the 400 free relay.
While the swimming team’s placed second, the dive teams, a separately scored meet, garnered first place on the women’s side and second place in for the men. The H2Okie women scored 177 points and the men totaled 130 points.
The women posted four wins on the final day of action. In 200 back action, Kelly deMarrais collected 20 points and a victory for the 25th-ranked H2Okies. The junior touched in with a time of 1:58.46 to shatter the Tech record she previously owned.
Senior Sara Smith added to her impressive weekend, registering a first-place finish in the 100 free. Smith, who totaled 94 individual points at the invitational, swam the race in 49.98, while sophomore Steffi Drechsel finished in second with a time of 50.78 and added 17 points to Tech’s total.
In the 1,650 free, sophomore Lauren Ritter and freshman Alex Tomasky finished the race second and third, respectively. The former came in with a time of 16:58.58, while the latter swam to the pace of 17:03.64. The duo totaled 33 points in the event.
Senior Megan Newell claimed her second win at the invite in the 200 fly. Newell registered 20 points for the H2Okies and crossed the finish line in 2:01.28.
For the men’s squad, senior Ben Miller claimed fourth place in the 1,650 free. The senior captain clocked in at 15:31.46 and scored 15 points in the process.
Sophomore Trey Stewart competed in the 200 fly for the H2Okies. Stewart finished the race in a time of 1:48.73 to score 16 points.
Meanwhile, in relay action, the women’s squad of senior Jordan McHorney, Smith, Newell and Drechsel captured the crown in the 400 free relay. The foursome touched in at 3:20.94 for 40 points.
In diving action, freshman Cara Murnan registered a second-place finish in the platform event and scored 270.90.
The H2Okies have ended the 2008 portion of the schedule and will be back in action at War Memorial Pool on Jan. 24, 2009 in a meet against ACC foe Georgia Tech and UNC Wilmington. At the meet, seniors James Aitken, Ian deToll, Ben Miller, and John Riley will be honored on the men’s side, while for the women’s team, Claire Dickey, Stephanie Jones, Allison Luttermoser, Jordan McHorney, Megan Newell and Sara Smith will be credited for their accomplishments in a pre-meet ceremony. The parents of the student-athletes will be recognized during the formal presentation as well.