Cardinals Sweep Xavier in Season Opener

Friday, September 29

LOUISVILLE, KY

3:00 p.m.

University of Louisville

Xavier University

September 29, 2023 | Swimming & Diving

Xavier vs Louisville Complete Results

Louisville wins every event

By: Nancy Worley

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The University of Louisville men's and women's swimming and diving teams won every event to sweep visiting Xavier in the opening meet of the season Friday evening at the Ralph Wright Natatorium.

The Cardinal men won 193-66 and the women prevailed 189-69.

Louisville was led by multiple winners Paige Kuwata and Ilia Sibirtsev, who swept the distance events, freshman Lucy Mehraban and Murilo Sartori both won the 100 and 200 free. Gabi Albiero won the 50 free the 100 fly and was a part of the 200 medley and 400 free relay teams. Diver Else Praasterink swept both the 1M and 3M diving events with NCAA Zone cut scores. Kim Herkle won the 200 IM, the 200 breast and the 200 medley and 400 free relay teams .

In the 200 medley relay, the Louisville women swept the top three spots. The B-relay of Rye Ulett, Kim Herkle, Karoline Barrett and Gabi Albiero turned in the winning time of 1:41.80. The C-team of Ally Boynton, Adry Kasemets, Christiana Regenauer and Lucy Mehraban went 1:43.83. In exhibition, Abby Hay, Ella Welch, Fernanda Celidonio and Bianca Costea turned in a 1:43.91.

In the men's 200 medley relay, Louisville turned in the top four times. The A-relay team of Dalton Lowe (23.33), Luke Shourds (24.66), Mateo Miceli (21.79) and Caleb Duncan (19.71) combined for a 1:29.49. The B-relay team of Charlie Crush, Denis Petrashov, Aidan Paro and Matias Santiso went 1:30.81 for second.

Paige Kuwata won the women's 1000 freestyle, posting a time of 10:11.49 and Maddie Luther was second in 10:20.44. For the men's 1000 freestyle, Louisville's Ilia Sibirtsev beat the field by 20 plus seconds with a 9:10.34. Transfer Tyler Watson was second in 9:30.13 and John Bossler was third in 9:42.29 for the Cards.

The Cardinals swept the top two spots in the 200 free when freshman Lucy Mehraban went 1:50.78 to get to the wall first. Tristen Ulett was second in 1:51.16. For the men's 200 freestyle, Murilo Sartori was into the wall first with a time of 1:36.36 just ahead of Guy Brooks, who went 1:38.65. Denis Loktev was third in 1:39.84.

In the 100 backstroke, Paige Hetrick went 54.93 for the win. Rye Ulett was second in 56.05 and Ally Boynton was third in 57.54. The Cardinal men took the top four spots in their 100 back, led by Dalton Lowe's 48.96. Jackson Millard was second in 49.55 followed by Charlie Crush (50.31) and Kasper Johnsen's exhibition swim of 51.92.

Kim Herkle was first in the 100 breaststroke with a 1:02.22 with Cecilia Viberg touching second in 1:04.76. Fernanda Celidonio was fourth with a 1:04.93 for the Cards. In the men's 100 breaststroke was Denis Petrashov put up a 56.68 for the winning time and Aidan Kreiley was second in 57.64 and freshman Grant Gooding was third in 57.80.

In the 200 butterfly, Abby Hay stopped the clock with the winning time of 2:02.59 just edging Madie Hall's 2:02.60 for second. Jordan Durocher was third with a 2:04.96. Gustavo Saldo won the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:48.22. Mateo Miceli was third for the Cardinals with a time of 1:50.85 and Aidan Paro was fourth with a time of 1:52.43.

Gabi Albiero put up an NCAA B-cut time of 22.42 in the 50 free. Christiana Regenauer was second in 22.91 and Karoline Barrett was third in 23.69. Ella Welch was fourtin in exhibition with a time of 23.81. For the men in the 50 freestyle, Matias Santiso put up the winning time of 20.27. Caleb Duncan was second in 20.46 and Vlad Dubinin was third in 20.49.

In the 100 freestyle, Lucy Mehraban touched first with a 50.32 with Paige Hetrick right behind her in second with a 51.66. For the men in the 100 freestyle, Murilo Sartori stopped the clock with the winning time of 44.26 just ahead of Matias Santiso's 44.42. Vlad Dubinin was third in 45.30.

In the 200 backstroke, Rye Ulett picked up her second win with a time of 2:00.47. Jordan Durocher was second in 2:02.32 and Ally Boynton was third in 2:03.27. Jackson Millard won the men's 200 back with a time of 1:47.69, almost five seconds ahead of the field. Drew Collins was second in 1:52.10 and Mateo Miceli was third in 1:55.76.

In the women's 200 breaststroke, Kim Herkle got an NCAA B-cut with a time of 2:13.24 for the win. Madie Hall was second in 2:19.88 and Abby Hay was third in 2:20.48. For the men's 200 breaststroke, Denis Petrashov got his second win with a time of 2:04.23. Aidan Kreiley was third in 2:07.43 and Tommy Bried was fourth in 2:08.31.

Paige Kuwata made it a distance sweep with her win in the 500 freestyle when she turned in a 4:59.33, more than 16 seconds ahead of the first Xavier swimmer. Maddie Luther went 5:03.88 and Summer Cardwell went 5:04.11 in exhibition to put up the second and third fastest times in the race. Ilia Sibiritsev followed suit with his distance sweep with his winning time of 4:26.76. Gustavo Saldo was second in 4:31.16 and Denis Loktev was third in 4:34.78 while swimming exhibition.

Gabi Albiero notched her third win of the day with the B-cut time of 53.58 in the 100 butterfly. In exhibition Christiana Regenauer put up the third fastest time of 54.61 and Karoline Barrett was third in 56.64 and Ella Welch was fourth in 57.52. Dalton Lowe took top honors in the men's 100 butterfly with a 48.29. In exhibition, Mateo Miceli was the other swimmer under 50 with a 49.60 followed by Charlie Crush's 50.28.

Kim Herkle won the 200 IM with a time of 2:02.91. Madie Hall had a 2:04.47, Rye Ulett went 2:05.76 just ahead of Fernanda Celidonio's 2:05.96. For the men, Jackson Millard won the 200 IM with a time of 1:50.81. In exhibition, Drew Collins turned in the second fastest time of 1:54.66 just out-touching Aidan Paro's 1:54.74.

In the 400 free relay, the foursome of Gabi Albiero (49.84), Karoline Barrett (51.86), Tristen Ulett (51.16 and Madie Hall (51.57) put up the winning time of 3:24.43. For the men, Murilo Sartori (44.67), Dalton Lowe (44.54) Charlie Crush (47.22) and Caleb Duncan (45.95) posted a 3:02.38 for the win.