Georgia Tech Men, South Carolina Women Victorious in Atlanta

The final dual meet of the season for the University of South Carolina saw the Gamecocks make the three-and-a-half hour drive west on I-20 to Atlanta to swim against Georgia Tech. The South Carolina women won on the road by a margin of 169-131 while the Yellow Jacket men held serve with a 187-113 win.

The Georgia Tech men were led by Mert Kilavuz, who swam an elite performance in the 1650 freestyle. Kilavuz won the race by more than 27 seconds as he recorded a time of 14:44.15, his season-best mark by six seconds. He moved into sixth place in the national rankings in the event, behind only Arizona State’s Zalan Sarkany, USC’s Krzysztof Chmielewski, Florida’s Gio Linscheer and the NC State duo of Owen Lloyd and Ross Dant.

Kilavuz also earned the win in the 500 free (4:25.58) while teammate Leandro Odorici took first in the 50 free (18.82) and 100 free (43.62). Berke Saka clocked 1:43.53 as he led a Yellow Jackets 1-2-3 finish in the 200 backstroke, and he later won the 200 IM in a swift time of 1:43.03. Georgia Tech’s Batur Unlu led another sweep in the 200 free, with Unlu clocking 1:34.26, and Joao Caballero topped the 100 breaststroke in 54.19. Stephen Jones took first in the 100 butterfly (47.10), and diving wins went to Georgia Tech’s Max Fowler on 1-meter (407.25) and 3-meter (414.90).

The Georgia Tech team of Saka, Caballero, Leandro Odorici and David Gapinski claimed the win in the 200 medley relay (1:25.47) while the 400 free relay belonged to the Yellow Jackets by more than three seconds, with Unlu, Ricky Balduccini, Gapinski and Odorici finishing in 2:54.10.

Michael Laitarovsky was victorious for South Carolina in the 100 back (46.38), with Luke DeVore following with a win in the 200 fly (1:46.44). Linus Kahl scored the top spot in the 200 breast (1:57.62).

In the women’s meet, SC’s Hayley Mason led a 1-2-3 finish in the 1650 free, clocking 16:30.51 to take the win. The 100 back was a 1-2-3-4 finish for South Carolina, with Amy Riordan leading the way in 53.09, and Riordan later won the 200 back (1:56.10). Greta Pelzek was the winner of the 200 fly (1:56.28) and 200 IM (1:59.88), and MaKayla Ciancanelli swam a time of 4:49.56 to dominate the 500 free.

Jordan Agliano topped the 100 fly for the Gamecocks (53.52), and the team of Riordan, Dylan Scholes, Peyton Curry and Ellery Ottem nailed down the win with a 3:18.31 clocking in the 400 free relay.

Georgia Tech edged South Carolina in the 200 medley relay to open the meet, with Vivien Rothwell, Clarissa Sabin, Lindsey Mack and Anna Hadjiloizou combining for a time of 1:39.66. That was just ahead of both the Gamecocks’ A-team (1:39.74) and B-team (1:39.92).

Sophie Murphy topped the 200 free (1:46.51) and 100 free (49.28), and Sabyne Brisson won the 100 breast in 1:01.40 as the Jackets swept the top-three spots. Brisson won again in the 200 breast (2:11.40), and Hadjiloizou won the 50 free in 22.62 Elizabeth Powley topped 1-meter diving (282.45) and 3-meter diving (304.80).