Jan. 29, 2010
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Erika Deardorf set a new school record in the 1000-yard freestyle and the Vanderbilt swimming team used a great team effort to swim past Marshall, 120-118 at the Frederick Fitch Natatorium Friday night.
VU was able to notch its second dual win of the season by displaying its talent and depth in nearly all the 11 swimming events. The Commodores captured first-place finishes in eight of the 11 events.
“I thought it was a really solid meet for us tonight and everyone on the team contributed in what was a great team effort,” head coach Jeremy Organ said. “Individually Ellen Kilgore really had some terrific swims tonight and I hope it is a sign of things to come from her. Now we have to get refocused for a really tough meet with Kentucky and Cincinnati tomorrow afternoon.”
The ‘Dores got out to an early 14-4 lead after the first event of the day, the 200-yard medley relay. VU’s relay team of Chelsea Morey, Allie Voss, Jess Eccher and Jennifer Molchan clocked a 1:50.01 to win the event while the team of Rose Cornelson, Laura Dillon, Sarah Lynch and Betsy Galenti time of 1:52.34 was good for third.
Deardorf tacked on nine more points to VU’s team total with a blistering personal best time of 10:14.87 to win the 1000-yard freestyle. Not only was Deardorf’s time a personal best, it was the fastest time ever recorded by a Commodore in the history of the school. Deardorf’s clocking Friday topped Catherine Pringle’s previous school record of 10:17.12 (1989). In her first year of collegiate swimming Deardorf has already rewrote the school record book in the 1650 freestyle and now the 1000 free.
The freshmen trio of Amy Salce, Ellen Kilgore and Eccher went first, second and third in the 200-yard freestyle to tack on 16 more points to VU’s overall score. Salce led the Commodore fleet with a 1:54.30 while Kilgore clocked a season-best 1:55.91, good for second.
In the fourth event of the day, Vanderbilt’s Voss and Anna Fargo went second and third in the 50-yard freestyle to five VU seven more points. Voss clocked a second place time of 25.55 while Fargo notched a 25.59.
One event later, Dillon continued her strong start to 2010 with a career-best time of 4:33.63 to win the 400-yard individual medley. Dillon’s time was nearly 12 seconds faster than her previous career high.
Eccher followed Dillon’s stellar performance with one her own in the next event as she clocked a team-high and season-best time of 58.28 to win the 100-yard butterfly. Sophomore Elizabeth Brunk clocked a 100-fly time of 1:01.40, to finish in fourth.
Lynch followed her teammates suit with a season-best performance (54.71) en route to a runner-up finish in the 100-yard freestyle. Lynch’s previous season-high was a 55.16 in which she set in the meet against Arkansas back Nov. 6.
The freshmen trio of Morey, Salce and Cornelson went one-two-and three in the 100-yard backstroke to extend VU’s lead over the Thundering Herd. Morey captured top honors with a time of 59.41 while Salce clocked a season-best 59.87 to place second.
With only four events left in the meet, the Commodores held a comfortable lead in the meet but it knew it had to finish strong in the swimming events due to not having a diver competing in the two diving events.
Deardorf and Kilgore once again came up clutch for the ‘Dores as they finished first and second in the 500-yard freestyle with times of 5:05.62 and 5:10.09, respectively. Kilgore’s time Friday marked a season-best as it was nearly eight seconds faster than her previous top time.
In the last individual race of the day, sophomores Voss and Dillon went one and two in the 100-yard breaststroke with times of 1:07.58 and and 1:08.82.
The Commodores closed out the meet with the team of Galenti, Morey, Cornelson and Deardorf placing second in the 400-yard freestyle (3:40.16).
The VU swimming team will return to competition in less than 24 hours as they will go up against Kentucky and Cincinnati in Lexington, Ky., tomorrow.
For complete results of today’s dual meet with Marshall click the “complete results” link at the top of the page or see below.
Vanderbilt Results, January 29, 2010
200-yard Medley Relay – 1. Vanderbilt (Morey, Voss, Eccher, Molchan), 1:50.01. 3. Vanderbilt (Cornelson, Dillon, Lynch, Galenti), 1:52.34
1000-yard Freestyle – 1. Erika Deardorf, 10:14.87
200-yard Freestyle – 1. Amy Salce, 1:54.30. 2. Ellen Kilgore, 1:55.91. 3. Jess Eccher, 1:56.64
50-yard Freestyle – 2. Allie Voss, 25.55. 3. Anna Fargo, 25.59. 7. Betsy Galenti, 26.04
400-yard IM – 1. Laura Dillon, 4:33.63. 4. Elizabeth Brunk, 4:48.34
100-yard Butterfly – 1. Jess Eccher, 58.28. 4. Elizabeth Brunk, 1:01.40. 7. Stephanie Falcone, 1:03.58
100-yard Freestyle – 2. Sarah Lynch, 54.71. 4. Jennifer Molchan, 55.39. 6. Anna Fargo, 57.16
100-yard Backstroke – 1. Chelsea Morey, 59.41. 2. Amy Salce, 59.87. 3. Rose Cornelson, 1:00.02
500-yard Freestyle – 1. Erika Deardorf, 5:05.62. 2. Ellen Kilgore, 5:10.09
100-yard Breaststroke – 1. Allie Voss, 1:07.58. 2. Laura Dillon, 1:08.82. 6. Jessica Cohen, 1:15.04
400-yard Freestyle Relay – 2. Vanderbilt (Galenti, Morey, Cornelson, Deardorf), 3:40.16. 4. Vanderbilt (Molchan, Kilgore, Lynch, Salce), 3:44.25
