Hogs Lose to Bulldogs at Swim for the Cure
Arkansas swimming and diving team fell to the Georgia Bulldogs Friday at the Arkansas Natatorium, losing 187-113. (Photo by Kris Johnson)
In their first dual meet of the season, as well as the first Southeastern Conference meet, the Arkansas swimming and diving team was unable to swim past the Georgia Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs defeated the Razorbacks 187-113 in the “Swim for the Cure” meet to promote breast cancer awareness.
Despite the loss, there were many individual wins and strong performances.
In the first meet, the 200-yard medley relay, freshman Nina Drolc had only a one-tenth of a second lead against Georgia senior and Olympic gold medalist Allison Schmitt.
Drolc was able to hold off Schmitt in the last 50 yards, and the Razorbacks won the race with a time of 1:42.29.
The Bulldogs responded and won the next two races, including a sweep of the 200 freestyle. Brittany MacLean won the freestyle with a time of 1:49.62.
Georgia looked to dominate the 1,000 freestyle as well, but Georgia junior Shannon Vreeland fell behind leader Amber McDermott’s pace, and a late charge from Lauren Jordan earned her a second-place finish.
The Hogs’ next win and most exciting moment came in the 100 backstroke. Sophomore Shana Lim won with a time of 54.95.
The time was a school record previously held by Kelsea Vance and it brought the Hogs just eight points behind the Bulldogs.
Georgia then took control of the close meet in the next three events, winning the 100 breaststroke, the 200 butterfly and the 50 freestyle.
The Hogs earned some points back in the 3-meter diving when freshman Hannah Bortnick and junior Kesha Naylor finished in the top two with scores of 309.45 and 301.43, respectively.
The Bulldogs responded when Chantal Van Landeghem and Vreeland to finish in the top of the 100 freestyle.
Freshman Anna Mayfield kept the hopes of a comeback alive when she won the 200 backstroke, but Georgia freshman Annie Zhu slammed the door shut with a win in the 200 breaststroke.
McDermott got her second individual win of the meet in the 500 freestyle as well.
Georgia put the exclamation mark on when they won the next three events: the 100 butterfly, 1-meter diving and the 400 individual medley.
The Bulldogs had four of the top five finishers, with Hali Flickinger winning with a time of 4:15.03.
With the meet already clinched, the Georgia relay team in the 200 freestyle won the final match of the day with a time of 1:33.27.
The Razorbacks will travel to Columbia, Mo., for their next meet, where they will face SEC foes Missouri and Kentucky, as well as the Southern Illinois Salukis.
