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Florida edges UT in final women's swim at Aquatic Center
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What a way to finish the dual-meet season, especially in a meet that likely was to be the last for the Tennessee Lady Vols at UT Student Aquatic Center.
UT was ahead 142-141 going into the final race — 400-yard medley relay. But Florida would have none of it — finishing 1-2 in the race for a 156-144 SEC victory.
“I know it’s frustrating for the team to come that close and not win,” Lady Vols coach Matt Kredich said, “but that was a really hard-fought college dual meet. One of the best I’ve seen.”
Senior and captain Christine Magnuson won three races while Aleksa Akerefelds and Michelle King each won two for UT, which will focus on for the SEC championships at Alabama on Feb. 20-23.
The Lady Vols started off strong, winning the 200 medley relay in 1 minute, 41.90 seconds with Magnuson, King, Triccia Weaner and Carly Mathes.
Then Akersfelds defeated Florida’s Laurabeth Guenther by more than four seconds in the 1,000 freestyle. Magnuson splashed to victory in the 200 free (1:45.92) before the Gators’ Gemma Spofforth broke the string by taking the 100 backstroke.
King then won the 100 breaststroke (1:02.94), and two events later Magnuson won the 50 free (22,98). After UT’s Lauren LeRoy won 1-meter diving, King sprinted to first in the 100 free (50.44), and things continued to look good for UT.
UT’s Jamie Safer (200 breaststroke in 2:17.90), Akerefelds (500 free in 4:50.63) and Magnuson (100 butterfly in 53.12) put together another streak. Then the Gators began to work their way back, finally winning the 400 free relay in 3:24.00 and taking second in 3:25.29.
But Tennessee (5-3, with losses to top-ranked teams) made a statement against a team that defeated No. 1-ranked Auburn recently and highly regarded Texas.
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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