FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Vanderbilt swimming had a pair of individuals record multiple runner-up finishes to highlight the Commodores’ dual meet against Arkansas, with the duo of Faith Knelson and Mercedes Traba both placing second twice on Saturday.
Five other Dores were second in their events as well, but it was not enough as the Razorbacks defeated Vandy 151-103 at Arkansas Natatorium.
“It was great racing competition today, we just couldn’t quite get some of those close races to go our way,” head coach Jeremy Organ said. “There are only two dual meets left in the regular season so now we have to get back to work on Monday and have a great week of practice to be ready to go on Saturday.”
Vanderbilt will return to the Natural State next weekend when the Commodores take on both Little Rock and North Texas, with the competition beginning at 11 a.m. in Little Rock on Saturday.
Meet Highlights
-Traba placed second in the opening individual event of the day, the 1,000 free, and she was also second in the 500 free later in the meet.
-Knelson finished as the runner-up in the 100 breast, with Sophia Kosturos and Abby Francis following with second-place finishes in the 50 free and 100 free, respectively, the next two races.
-Grace Ciaramitaro ended up second in the 200 back, as Knelson added her second runner-up result of the meet in the 200 breast that followed.
-In addition to finishing second in the 100 fly, Kailia Utley touched the wall third in the 200 fly.
-Ellie Taliaferro posted a second-place finish in the 200 IM, the final individual event of the meet, as well.
Notes
-The quartet of Kosturos, Knelson, Utley and Taliaferro posted the second-fastest mark in school history in the 400 medley relay, finishing with a time of 3:39.38 in the first event of the morning.
-Traba had a time of 10:22.12 in the 1,000 free, a mark that was just .07 seconds off her best of the season at that distance.
-The junior’s 5:02.60 time in the 500 free was a quarter-second off the mark that claimed the race.
-Kosturos touched the wall in the 50 free in 23.75, less than three-tenths of a second behind the winner of the event.
-Ciaramitaro was less than a second behind the winner of the 200 back with a mark of 2:04.35.
