Jan. 16, 2009
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -
The 14th-ranked University of North Carolina women's swimming and diving team stands in second place after the opening day of the 2009 Swimming World College Carnival at Rutgers University. The Tar Heels have 92 team points and trail only sixth-ranked Florida which leads with 149 points. Richmond is third with 83 points and host Rutgers fourth with 77 points.
The Tar Heels posted six season best times Friday night, including one career best. Freshman Laura Moriarty was UNC's sole individual winner with a victory in the 200-yard breaststroke.
Carolina opened the night by finishing third in the 400-yard medley relay with a time of 3:47.24. The relay included junior Megan Steeves (56.05), junior Alison Clemens (1:04.68), freshman Layne Brodie (56.57) and sophomore Rebecca Kane (49.94).
All three Tar Heels who competed in the 500-yard freestyle finished with season-best times. Leading the way was sophomore Katura Harvey, who was second in a time of 4:47.66. Senior Aubrette Biegel was fifth in 4:58.11 and freshman Enuf Swanson clocked a 5:03.31 as an exhibition swimmer.
Moriarty was the top finisher on the evening in the 200-yard breaststroke as UNC swimmers placed first and third. Moriarty was clocked in 2:14.91 while fellow freshman Layne Brodie was third in 2:18.87. Junior Alison Clemens swam exhibition and went 2:18.65.
In the 200-yard backstroke, junior Ashley Howard was UNC's top finisher in fifth place at 2:01.59. Senior Kimmy Davis swam exhibition and went over a second faster than her previous career best, clocking a 2:05.95.
Carolina had a 2-3 finish in the 100-yard freestyle as Steeves was second in 50.87 and Kane third in 50.90. Both
Eliza Butts and
Aubrette Biegel swam exhibition with junior Butts going a season best 51.63 and Biegel going 52.59.
Swanson had her season best time in the 200-yard butterfly as she finished second in 2:00.29. Moriarty was fourth in 2:03.67.
In the 200-yard individual medley, Clemens placed fourth in 2:04.42 and Brodie sixth in 2:06.53.
Carolina had two entries in the one-meter diving competition with freshmen Kristin Arnold and Jenna Moore placing fourth and fifth with 259.10 and 254.30 points, respectively.
In the final event of the evening, the Tar Heels placed fifth in the 200-yard freestyle relay. The relay included Biegel (24.72), Butts (23.52), Davis (23.92) and Harvey (24.43).
The Swimming World College Carnival will conclude Saturday night at Rutgers with a 6:30 p.m. EST start time.
