East Carolina University
Gamecock Invitational
Swimming Completes Day One Of Gamecock Invitational
November 19, 2009 | Swimming & Diving
Nov. 19, 2009
COLUMBIA, S.C. – After the first day of the Gamecock Invitational at the University of South Carolina’s Sol Blatt P.E. Center and Carolina Natatorium, the East Carolina University men’s swimming and diving team is currently in fifth place out of seven squads while the Pirate women are third of nine.
Joining the field at the this week’s event are men’s and women’s teams from the College of Charleston, Duke, Florida, North Carolina, Old Dominion and the host Gamecocks. Women’s squads from Georgia Southern and James Madison are also at the invitational.
The East Carolina women’s team started strong as the 200-yard freestyle relay of junior Jenna Stewart, sophomore Kelsey Brosi, sophomore Kali Gaskill and freshman Holly Berenotto took second, finishing in 1:34.05. Senior Katlin Potts, junior Kylie Francis, freshman Heather O'Toole and freshman Pamela Hess finished 11th in the event with a time of 1:38.00.
Senior Rachel Blue kept the women rolling, coming in fourth in the "A" finals of the 500-yard freestyle at a season-best 4:55.48. Sophomore Michelle Gadowry took fourth in the "B" finals with another year-best time of 4:58.32. In the "C" finals, sophomore Caitlin Marsilli (year-low 5:03.72) and freshman Ashley Wagoner (5:06.91) came in third and seventh.
In the 200-yard individual medley, senior Jackie Jones finished in a season-best 2:05.37 to take sixth place. Junior Lauren Dufault was the only other Pirate in the event as she took second in the "C" finals with a year-low time of 2:07.62.
The women took second in the "A" finals of the 50-yard freestyle as Stewart finished in 0:23.13. In the "B" finals, Berenotto (0:24.10), Brosi (0:24.12) and Gaskill (0:24.30) took second, fourth and sixth. Francis (0:24.18) and Potts (0:24.56) competed in the "C" heat and took first and sixth. All but Gaskill set season-best times in the event.
To end the day, the 400-medley relay teams took fifth, ninth and 15th place. The group of freshman Kayla Ford, classmate Hannah Lee, junior Stephanie Harper and Stewart clocked in at 3:50.07 while Francis, freshman Elizabeth Oliver, Potts and Gaskill finished in 3:54.06. The final team of O'Toole, junior Courtney Harris, Hess and Berenotto checked in at 3:56.97.
The Pirate men started with a 1:24.24 fifth-place performance by the 200-yard freestyle relay team of sophomore Ailton Temotio, senior Jason Guzewich, junior Andrew Stoker and freshman Geoffrey Bobsin. ECU also took 11th place in the event with freshmen Patrick Lytle, Andy Richter and Turner Haigwood combining with sophomore Travis Stauder to finish in 1:25.85.
Junior Thiago Cavalcanti came in second overall in the 500-yard freestyle with a season-best time of 4:26.79, earning an NCAA Championship B cut. In the "B" finals, sophomore Jonathan Bailey (year-best 4:31.74) and Chris Borysewicz (season-low 4:36.20) placed second and fourth. Wrapping up the event for the Pirates were senior Blake Briese (4:36.19) and junior Andrew Christian (4:41.29), coming in third and eighth in the "C" finals.
Junior Roman Sandler had the best performance for the men in the 200-yard individual medley, finishing eighth in the "B" finals with a time of 1:54.96. Stauder checked in third in the "C" finals at 1:56.22. Both turned in season-best performances.
Pacing the squad in the 50-yard freestyle was Guzewich, who won the "B" finals with a time of 0:21.17. In the "C" heat, Stoker placed third at a year-low 0:21.53.
Wrapping up the day's action was the 400-yard medley relay team of Sandler, Stauder, Stoker and Temotio, which finished in 3:25.12 to take fifth place. The group of freshmen Andy Richter, J.D. Flanagan, Bobsin and senior Guzewich completed the race in 3:30.27 to claim 13th.
The Pirates resume action at the invitational tomorrow at 10 a.m. with preliminary heats before the finals start at 6 p.m.
