East Carolina University
North Carolina (Men)
Swimming & Diving Swept By UNC In Season Opener
October 06, 2011 | Swimming & Diving
Oct. 6, 2011
GREENVILLE, N.C. --- The East Carolina men and women's swimming and diving teams were swept Thursday night in their season opener against North Carolina. The men lost 191.50-102.50, while the women fell 195-99 with seven of the 28 events decided by a second or less.
"There were a lot of close races, so the score isn't really indicative of how hard we raced," Pirate head coach Rick Kobe said. "We swam very well tonight against a perennial top 15 team and I feel like we got our season off to a good start."
Freshman Rokas Cepulis posted the first of two individual first-place finishes by the Pirates' men's team. Cepulis won the 100-yard breaststroke (58.23) by 0.39 ahead of UNC's Brad Hamilton, recording his first individual win in his first collegiate race. Cepulis claimed second-place in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:09.18), finishing 1.15 behind the Tar Heels' Dominick Glavich.
ECU sophomore Attila Kiraly, last year's Conference USA 400 IM champion, touched first in the 400 IM (3:59.96), nearly six seconds in front of UNC's Pat Myers. Kiraly also finished second in the 100-yard breaststroke (53.26) and third in the 200-yard backstroke (1:53.30). Freshman Nikola Simic posted a pair of second-place finishes in the 100 (46.40) and 200-yard freestyle (1:40.79).
Pirate junior Geoffrey Bobsin and senior Ailton Temotio finished second (21.73) and third (21.86) in the 50-yard freestyle with Temotio also earning a third-place finish in the 100-yard butterfly (51.71).
Senior Meghan Coyne was the lone victorious Pirate on the ladies' side, claiming first-place on the one-meter springboard (280.12). She also took second-place on the three-meter springboard (285.60).
Sophomore Anna Gibas and senior Kylie Francis placed second (2:06.35) and third (2:07.02) in the 200-yard backstroke with Gibas also capturing third-place in the 100-yard backstroke (58.25). Senior Natalia Favoreto posted a pair of top 3 finishes, placing second in the 50-yard freestyle (23.99), 0.08 behind UNC's Nikki Barczak and third in the 100-yard freestyle (52.63). Freshmen Danielle Morrin earned a second-place finish in the 200-yard butterfly (2:06.13).
Both Pirate teams will be back in action on Oct. 15 at Davidson.
