Swimming Heads to Virginia For Double Dual with Princeton

Returning to ACC competition after a month of nonconference action, the No. 11/13 University of Louisville men's and women's swimming and diving teams will head to Charlottesville, Va. for a two-day double dual meet against the University of Virginia and Princeton. Racing will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday in the University of Virginia Aquatic and Fitness Center and then again on Saturday at 9 a.m.

The Cardinals are coming off a hard-fought loss against the No.11/13 Tennessee Volunteers. Despite earning a collective 13 wins and 17 NCAA 'B' cut times, the Louisville men fell by a score of 170-130, while the women were edged by a slim margin of 156-144.

Against Tennessee, five Cardinals posted wins in multiple events including Zach Harting (200 fly, 400 free relay), Nicolas Albiero (200 back, 400 free relay), Andrej Barna (50 free, 400 free relay), Mallory Comerford (200 free, 100 free, 400 free relay), and Mariia Astashkina (100 breast, 200 breast).

Other event winners for Louisville included Marcelo Acosta in the 1000 free (9:05.20) and Arina Openysheva in the 50 free (22.97). Morgan Friesen recorded her first victory as a Cardinal, tying fellow freshman Astashkina for first in the 100 breast with a time of 1:02.55. The 400 free relay team of Openysheva, Lainey Visscher, Comerford, and Casey Fanz also registered a win for the Cardinals in the final event of the meet.

Last time out, the Cavaliers swept Duke in their home opener on Nov. 3. The No. 25 Virginia men topped the Blue Devils 169-131, while the No. 14 women won handily by a margin of 182-115. Both Cavalier squads are undefeated in dual meet action, also recording victories over Penn State, LSU, Pittsburgh.

Against Duke, the Virginia men were led by Brendan Casey (1000 free, 500 free), Bryce Keblish (100 fly, 100 IM), and Matthew Otto (100 breast, 200 breast), who all posted multiple first place finishes. On the women's side, the Cavaliers notched wins in nine individual events, as well as the 200 medley and 200 free relays.

The Princeton men have only competed once this season so far. Princeton swept the relays and got double wins from three swimmers in three different classes during an impressive opening performance to the 2017-18 season. The Tigers closed their 2017 fall training week in Florida with a 150-117 victory over Nova Southeastern in Coral Gables, Fla. The Princeton women's swimming & diving freshman class was a highly touted one, and it showed why in its collegiate debut Friday afternoon at the University of Miami. The Tiger newcomers won five individual events, including two apiece for Jenny Ma and Courtney Tseng, to help Princeton to victories over both Miami (195.5-100.5) and Nova Southeastern (219-73).

Multiple Cardinals rank within the Top 10 times in Division I, led by Comerford with the top time in the 100 free (47.00), the No. 2 times in the 50 free (22.04) and 200 free (1:41.70), and the eighth-ranked time in the 500 free (4:39.24). In the backstroke events, Alina Kendzior holds on to the No. 5 spot in the 200 (1:53.78) and the No. 6 spot in the 100 (52.60). Grace Oglesby also ranks high for the Cards with the fourth and fifth-ranked times in the 200 (1:55.05) and 100 (52.66) fly. Astashkina sits fifth in the 200 breast (2:09.34) and ninth in the 100 breast (1:01.25), while Rachael Bradford-Feldman ranks sixth in the 400 IM (4:11.86) and seventh in the 200 IM (1:57.55). Openysheva (200 free) and Visscher (100 free) also own Top 10 times, ranking eighth and tenth respectively. All five of the Lady Cards' relays have secured spots in the Top 10 rankings as well, including the No. 1 200 free relay (1:28.72).

Distance specialist Acosta leads the way for the Louisville men in the national rankings with the No. 4 time in the 1000 free (9:01.18) and No. 6 time in the 500 free (4:22.59). Carlos Claverie holds the ninth-fastest time in Division I in the 200 breast (1:58.60), while Harting is tied for 10th in the 200 fly (1:46.41). The Cardinals also boast three relays inside the Top 10, led by the No. 2 800 free relay (6:38.11).

Swimming Heads to Virginia For Double Dual with Princeton

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Players Mentioned

Marcelo Acosta

Andrej Barna

Rachael Bradford-Feldman

Carlos Claverie

Mallory Comerford

Casey Fanz

Zach Harting

Alina Kendzior

Grace Oglesby

Lainey Visscher

University of Louisville Athletics