By Todd Mounce, Media Relations Graduate Assistant
Behind three individual wins from freshman Lindsay Gendron, a pool record time in the 200y fly by sophomore Kelsey Floyd and the return of a familiar face at full strength, the Tennessee Lady Vol swimming and diving team rolled past Louisville on Thursday evening at the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center by a score of 186-113.
The team may have had a little extra motivation this season against the Cardinals, as the team suffered a tough loss in last season’s opener at Louisville by a mere four points. However, the Orange and White wouldn’t let the BIG EAST opponent have a chance, winning 13 of the 16 events to improve to a perfect 2-0.
“I think it’s natural in sports that when you get knocked down, you want to come back and stick it to the person that knocked you down,” Lady Vol head swimming coach Matt Kredich explained. “That was painful last year. Our upperclassmen didn’t forget and whatever they learned and carried over into today is great. But I don’t want them spending time thinking about revenge because there are different people involved and we all have our own issues to worry about.”
Tennessee (2-0 overall, 1-0 SEC) again got another huge performance from Gendron, who used NCAA B-cut times in winning the 200y (1:47.98) and 500y (4:51.47) free events. The Bloomington, Ill., native also captured the 1000y free with a time of 10:03.30, which was nearly 14 seconds faster than second place.
Fellow freshmen Alex Frasier, Lauren Solernou and Mary Kate McNeilis joined Gendron on the 400y free relay, nabbing the top spot in 3:26.35. McNeilis was fantastic in individual events as well, swimming a first-place time of 23.65 in the 50y free and barely edging Frasier in the 100y free by touching in at 51.10 to nab first.
In addition, Frasier had another runner-up finish in the 200y free (1:51.05), while Solernou grabbed second in the 100y back (55.92).
“I think there was a lot of good competing today and our freshmen continue to be really impressive,” said Kredich. “I feel really good about the total picture and we still have a lot of loose ends we need to bring into the fold, but I thought it was a solid day.”
Floyd, the reigning SEC Swimmer of the Week, set a new AJIAC standard in the 200y fly with a mark of 1:58.80. The first-place time was .16 seconds better than teammate Brooke Watson’s old mark set last February.
Coming off of abdominal surgery on the first of this month, junior Jenny Connolly didn’t miss a beat in her 2010-11 season debut. The West Lafayette, Ind., native swam NCAA Zone-B cut times in the 100y back (54.61) and 100y fly (54.47) to win both events and swam the lead leg on the victorious 200y medley relay (1:41.41).
Along with Connolly on the winning 200y medley relay were senior Martina Moravcikova, Floyd and McNeilis. Moravcikova also finished first in the 100y breast after touching in at 1:03.09.
On the boards, redshirt freshman Tori Lamp had a repeat performance of last week, winning on both the 1- and 3-meter boards. On the 3-meter, Lamp beat out Louisville’s Hannah Gadd, who won the event last season, with a score of 324.75. Junior Gabrielle Trudeau made it a one-two finish for the Lady Vols, as Lamp nabbed first with a score of 292.58, with Trudeau‘s score of 292.58 right behind.
“Tori scored higher on both boards today, against tougher competition, and what made it even more impressive was the fact that during practice yesterday she hurt her shoulder and we weren’t sure if she would be cleared to dive today,” head coach diving coach Dave Parrington said. “We weren’t in a clutch situation like we were last week, but when you are up there competing against quality competition it doesn’t really matter. We came through today and I’m pleased where we are at.”
 For the Cardinals, Eszter Povazsay, Therese Bergstrom and Fanny Lilliestrom notched victories. Povazsay touched in .01 second faster than Floyd to win the 200y back, while Bergstrom took the top spot in the 200y breast (2:16.94) and Lilliestrom won the 200y IM (2:04.76).
The Orange and White will hit the road for the first time this season as it travels to “The Bluegrass State” to face off against the Cumberlands on Oct. 29, and SEC foe Kentucky the next day.
 
Event                              School          Winner                            Time/Score
3-meter dive                      UT                 Tori Lamp                         324.75
200y medley relay             UT                                                        1:41.41
                                                  – Connolly Moravcikova, Floyd, McNeilis
1000y free                        UT                 Lindsay Gendron               10:03.30
200y free                          UT                 Lindsay Gendron               1:47.98
100y back                        UT                 Jenny Connolly                 54.61
100y breast                      UT                 Martina Moravcikova          1:03.09
200y fly                            UT                 Kelsey Floyd                    1:58.80
50y free                            UT                 Mary Kate McNeilis           23.65
100y free                          UT                 Mary Kate McNeilis           51.10
200y back                        UL                 Eszter Povazsay               2:00.69
200y breast                      UL                 Therese Bergstrom            2:16.94
500y free                          UT                 Lindsay Gendron               4:51.47
100y fly                            UT                 Jenny Connolly                 29.06
1-meter dive                      UT                 Tori Lamp                         292.58           
200y IM                            UL                 Fanny Lilliestrom              2:04.76
400y free relay                  UT                                                        3:26.35
                                           – Frasier, Solernou, Gendron, McNeilis

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