Virginia swimming and diving teams traveled to Blacksburg on Saturday to tackle Virginia Tech at the Commonwealth Clash at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center.
The top-ranked Virginia women were completely dominant, claiming first place in all but three events in the match and beating the Hokies 193-107.
First-year Gretchen Walsh won three individual events, finishing first in the 200-yard backstroke, 200-yard individual medley and 50-yard freestyle. Junior Maddie Donohoe has won both the 500-yard freestyle and the 1000-yard freestyle events. Sophomore Alex Walsh finished first in the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard butterfly.
Fresh from her five-medal performance at the FINA World Championships in Abu Dhabi in December, young Kate Douglass won both the 100-yard breaststroke and the 100-yard freestyle. Senior Alexis Wenger won the 200-yard breaststroke and freshman Emma Weyant won the 200-yard freestyle.
The Cavaliers did equally well in the races, with both first and second place finishes in the 200-yard medley relay, with Kate Douglass, Ella Nelson, Abby Harter and Alex Walsh leading with a time of 3:20.10. UVA’s team of Ella Nelson, Ella Bathurst, Reilly Tiltmann and Alex Walsh also won the 400-yard freestyle relay in the final event of the match.
The 17th-placed Virginia men’s swimming and diving team dropped to #16 Virginia Tech 187-113.
The UVA guys won three events at the meet. In the 50-yard freestyle, sophomore Matt King finished first with a time of 20.05, while sophomore Matt Brownstead finished second with a time of 20.06. Senior Justin Grender took first place in the 200-yard backstroke, and sophomore Noah Nichols won in the 100-yard breaststroke.
Grender and King also finished second in the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard freestyle, respectively. Virginia has recorded nine podium finishes in addition to three event wins, including second and third place in the 1000-yard freestyle (sophomore Tanner Hering and freshman Peter Thompson) and 200-yard butterfly (junior Josh Fong and senior Casey Storch).
Virginia returns home to host North Carolina on Friday (1/21) and Saturday (1/22) NC State at the Aquatic & Fitness Center.
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