University of Tennessee Athletics
No. 12 Lady Vols Kick Off 2008 Tennessee Swimming Invitational
November 19, 2008 | Women's Swimming & Diving
Nov. 19, 2008
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The 12th-ranked Tennessee women's swimming and diving team kicked off the 2008 Tennessee Swimming Invitational with a victory in the 800y free relay on Wednesday night at the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center.
Only the 800y free relay and 200y medley relay were contested as finals.
The Lady Vols will head into Day 2 in second place behind No. 25 Virginia Tech, who leads the invitational with 74 points. Tennessee is right behind with 72 points, while Kentucky is third with 66.
"We got to see a lot of people swim some 200 free's and some 50 free's, and we had some really good times in there," Lady Vol head swimming coach Matt Kredich said. "(Seniors) Sarah McCall and Carly Mathes both swam great 200 free legs. (Freshman) Atlantis Wilkins also had a really good 50 free at the end of the 200y medley relay.
"It's exciting to have great competition from Virginia Tech and Kentucky."
Mathes and classmate Brittany Nauta combined with sophomore Aleksa Akerfelds and freshman Caitlin Perks to win the 800y free relay in a time of 7:21.14.
The Hokies won the 200y medley relay in a pool record time of 1:42.00, while the Tennessee team of freshman Jenny Connolly, junior Alex Barsanti, sophomore Morgan Farrell and senior Katie Gehring placed third with a season-best time of 1:43.50.
Competition begins again tomorrow with preliminary heats of the 500y free, 200y IM and 50y free at 10 a.m. The finals will be at 6 p.m.
Prelim heats will be at 10 a.m. with finals at 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, as well.
