Runnin' Bulldogs Lead from Start to Finish in 136-69 Win over Davidson on Women's Swimming's Senior Day
January 26, 2013 | Swimming
Boiling Springs, N.C. - Gardner-Webb opened Saturday's meet with a 200 medley relay win and closed it with a win in the 400 free relay, highlighting a dominant performance for the Runnin' Bulldog women in a 136-69 win over the visiting Davidson Wildcats on senior day.
GWU (3-0) came out racing hard early, winning key races throughout the meet to record its third straight dual meet victory in 2013.
"Today, in both the men's and the women's meets, this is what college swimming is about," said head men's and women's swim coach Mike Simpson. "The races were tight throughout, the intensity was high throughout. Just a great college swim meet."
Gardner-Webb claimed a victory in the meet-opening 200 medley relay. Laurenn Singleton (26.90), Charity Byrum (30.39), Mary O'Doherty (25.23), and Christina Clayton (24.77) teamed up for the 1st place finish and a time of 1:47.29.
The quartet of Kaylee McCallan (27.25), Samantha Shelley (33.14), April Niccolai (25.42), and Liz Van Halsema (25.43) tacked on a 3rd place finish in 1:51.24 as the Runnin' Bulldogs built a nine point lead on the Wildcats early.
Freshman distance specialist Madi Dinsmore (New Ipswich, N.H.) won the 1000 free, keeping GWU's momentum rolling by pulling away in 10:39.75. Sophomore Jenna Ballinger (Lexington, Ky.) stepped up for the Runnin' Bulldogs, finishing 2nd in the event with a 10:43.87 clocking.
GWU continued its blazing start with another 1-2 finish in the next event, the 200 free. Freshman Giorgie Graves (Riverview, Fla.) led from start to finish for a time of 1:54.53, and junior Faith Kempf (Sterling, Kan.) closed fast to overtake Davidson's Jessica Miller to take 2nd with a time of 1:56.24.
O'Doherty, a sophomore from Charlotte, N.C., added an individual win in the 50 free. The Charlotte, N.C. native sprinted to a win on the outside of the pool in lane six by punching the wall first at 24.85. A GWU freshman came in 3rd in the event, as Clayton (Brentwood, Tenn.) claimed the 3rd best time in the event at 25.20.
Gardner-Webb won its fifth straight event in the meet's next event, the 400 I.M. Niccolai, a freshman from Naperville, Ill., and Van Halsema, a senior from Charlotte, N.C., combined for a 1-2 finish by touching the wall at 4:39.52 and 4:40.10 in the event respectively.
A win from Graves in the 100 fly helped GWU pull away further, with the freshman pulling away for a time of 57.24 in the event. McCallan, a sophomore from Melbourne, Fla., added a 3rd place finish (59.80) out of heat 1 for the Runnin' Bulldogs.
Davidson ended GWU's win streak with a 1st place finish in the 100 free from Meredith Nakano. Byrum, a sophomore from Winston-Salem, N.C., took 2nd in the event with a time of 53.46.
Senior Laurenn Singleton (Elkin, N.C.) led a GWU charge in a tight race in the 100 back. Singleton claimed the top of a 1-2 finish for the Runnin' Bulldogs with a time of 59.42, and was followed by McCallan, who held off the Wildcats' Lauren Malachowski (59.63) to claim 2nd place in the event with a time of 59.52.
Dinsmore picked up her 2nd individual win of the day in the 500 free, pulling away with a time of 5:15.74. Ballinger held on despite a late charge from Davidson's Miller, taking 2nd place in the event after finishing the race in 5:16.07.
Nakano (1:06.28) edged Byrum (1:06.42) in the 100 breast for Davidson's 2nd win of the day. Byrum led a 2-3-4 finish for the Runnin' Bulldogs in the event. Robinson, a sophomore from Aiken, S.C., was 3rd with a time of 1:08.41, and Shelley, a junior from Wilmington, Del., took 4th in 1:10.01.
Gardner-Webb closed Saturday with a fitting end, winning the 400 free relay in an event it led from start-to-finish. Graves (53.26), Kempf (54.91), Singleton (53.43), and Ballinger (53.95) combined for a time of 3:35.55 to win the meet's final event.
Gardner-Webb also took 3rd in the event, thanks to a strong effort from the combination of Allie Petersen (1:00.21), Sarah Singleton (55.56), Taylor Jones (1:01.85), and Michelle Palacio (57.99).
Saturday's win for the Runnin' Bulldogs helped seal a historic first for the men's and women's swim programs. Gardner-Webb had never defeated Davidson in both men's and women's swimming in program history prior to Saturday.
Prior to Sunday's meet, seniors Annie Bosacco, Kristen Michal, Taylor Jones, Michelle Palacio, Laurenn Singleton, Liz Van Halsema, and Stephanie Wild were honored for their contributions to Gardner-Webb, both in and out of the pool.
Gardner-Webb women's swimming will compete at home for the final time in the 2013 season on Saturday, Feb. 1 as the Runnin' Bulldogs try to make it four wins in a row against visiting Georgia Southern. GWU's dual meet versus the Eagles is scheduled to start at 5:00 p.m.
| Results: GWU 136 - Davidson 69 |
