H2Okies sweep Virginia Tech ChallengeH2Okies sweep Virginia Tech Challenge
Swimming & Diving

H2Okies sweep Virginia Tech Challenge

CHRISTIANSBURG – The H2Okies opened the home slate with a sweep of the competition as the Virginia Tech men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams picked up wins. The No. 19 men defeated VMI 221.0-41.0 and Queens University 164.0-95.0. On the women’s side, the Hokies claimed wins over VMI, 222.0-32.0; Queens, 194.0-68.0; and Liberty, 182.0-80.0.

Tech remains undefeated on the season as the men improve to 4-0 and the women move to 5-0. Leading the way were Ian Ho with an NCAA B time in the men’s 50yd free (19.85) while Klaudia Nazieblo recorded a B time in the women’s 100yd fly (54.23).

The Hokies got off to a strong start in the meet as the women’s team claimed first and second place in the 200yd medley relay. Nazieblo, Joelle Vereb, Maggie Gruber and Adriana Grabski finished with a time of 1:40.88 while their teammates recorded a time of 1:42.52 off the swims of Emily Meilus, Kelly Henry, Kayla Purcell and Danielle Griggs.

Tech followed up with a one, three finish in the 1000yd freestyle with Grace Kowal taking first (10:12.50) while Jenna Beattie finished third (10:26.36). Reka Gyorgy led a Virginia Tech sweep of the 200yd free, finishing in first with a time of 1:50.15. Griggs finished second (1:51.82) and Eleanor Matheson was third (1:52.09).

Meilus and Chloe Hicks took first and third in the 100yd back with times of 55.18 and 56.18, respectively. In the 100yd breaststroke, Henry finished with a first place time of 1:03.85 while Baillie Cameron placed just behind with a 1:04.98. Leah Rogers scored in third in the 200yd fly with a time of 2:03.97.

The Hokies took two, three in the 50yd free as Gruber came in with a time of 23.71 and Grabski just behind at 23.75. Grabski rallied for the next event as she took first place in the 100yd free with a time of 51.26 while Vereb claimed third (51.68).

Meilus picked up her second win of the evening, finishing in 2:01.61 in the 200yd backstroke while Sydney Pesetti was third. Gyorgy followed with her second win of the evening, taking the 200yd breaststroke (2:18.98) just ahead of teammate Henry.

Matheson won the 500yd free with a time of 5:00.28 while Jessie Arnold was third (5:08.25). Nazieblo’s B time came in the next event as she finished first in the 100 fly with teammate Vereb coming in third (56.73). Jessica Beattie joined the top-three ranks, claiming second in the 200 IM.

The Hokies wrapped up the meet with second and third place finishes in the 200yd freestyle relay.

On the men’s side, Tech opened with second and third place finishes in the 200yd medley relay before recording back-to-back sweeps. Michael Craddock, Colin Murphy and Nate Palowicz took the top three spots in the 1000 free with times of 9:29.76, 9:38.06 and 9:43.64, respectively.

The Hokies also owned the 200yd free behind swims from Lane Stone (1:38.99), Harrison Pierce (1:41.15) and Hassler Carroll (1:41.17). Tech took second and third in the 100yd backstroke off of Sean Workman’s 50.72 and Jake Lamparella’s 50.83. Justin Edwards and Thomas Hallock gave the H2Okies second and third in the 100yd breaststroke, before Norbert Szabo broke the pattern with a top time in the 200yd fly (1:49.84). Simon Shi finished third in the event.

Hallock had a first place time of 46.03 while teammate Stone was third (46.26) in the 100yd free. Workman came back strong in the 200yd backstroke, winning it with a mark of 1:48.98 while Cooper Pitts came in third. Edwards finished second in the 200yd breaststroke (2:04.70) while Shi was third (2:07.74).

The 500yd free belonged to the Hokies with Carroll finishing in first 4:37.83 and Pawlowicz in second (4:38.82). Pierce was again in the top-three, this time with a second place finish (49.60) in the 100fly while Szabo came in just behind in third. Samuel Tornqvist and Craddock gave the Hokies second and third in the 200yd IM.

The Hokies wrapped up the meet on a high note, finishing first and second in the 200yd free relay. Hallock, Szabo, Pierce and Ho teamed up for a time of 1:20.78 while Shi, Carroll, Aaron Boyd and Collin Fiala had a time of 1:23.72.

Virginia Tech will return to the pool on Saturday, Nov. 4 in a noon meet at North Carolina.