Friday, October 26
Athens, GA
11 AM
Florida Gators
158
at
142
Georgia
Vanessa Pearl led the Gators with two individual event wins and a relay victory.
History Made as No. 9 Florida Wins at No. 11 Georgia
Friday, October 26, 2018 | Women's Swimming & Diving
ATHENS, Ga. – For the first time in 25 years the University of Florida women's swimming & diving team defeated Georgia in Athens. Vanessa Pearl led the No. 9 Gators past the No. 11 Bulldogs, 158-142, with two individual event wins and a relay victory at the Gabrielsen Natatorium on Friday.
With Georgia leading 133-131, Hannah Burns, Pearl, and Kelly Fertel swept the 400 IM and put the Gators back on top 147-136, with one event remaining. Burns posted an NCAA B Cut time with a 4:12.37, which is the sixth-fastest time in the NCAA. Pearl also notched an NCAA B Cut time after she placed second with a 4:13.02. Fertel completed the sweep with a 4:13.60. Florida led 147-136 with only the 400 Free relay left.
Bella Garofalo, Sherridon Dressel, Mabel Zavaros and Fertel sealed the victory for the Gators as they won the 400 Free with a time of 3:20.28. Their time was the fifth-fastest swim in the NCAA this season.
Florida jumped out to an early lead after Emma Ball, Pearl, Dressel, and Garofalo started the meet with a victory in the 200 Medley Relay with a time of 1:40.04. Their time was the seventh-fastest time recorded so far this season.
Georgia went on to win the 1,000 Free and the 200 Free. The Bulldogs led 33-22 after the 200 Free.
In the 100 Back, Ball posted a time of 54.01 and placed first. Sydney Sell added a third-place swim with a season-best mark of 54.91. The points by Ball and Sell pulled the Gators within six, 40-34.
Pearl won the 100 Breast with a personal-best swim of 1:01.77, which is the 14th-best time in the NCAA. Layla Black finished in fifth with a time of 1:04.94. The two helped Florida pull within five, 49-44.
The Bulldogs extended their lead to 65-47 after they swept the 200 Fly.
Mabel Zavaros swam a 1:59.62 in the 200 Fly and placed fourth. Hannah Burns placed fifth with a time of 2:00.13 and set a season best.
Garofalo and Dressel closed the gap to 71-60, after they finished first and second in the 50 Free. Garofalo posted a season-best time of 22.99, while Dressel added a season-best swim of 23.03.
At the conclusion of the 3-meter diving, Georgia held an 82-68 lead. Brooke Madden placed second with a combined score of 306.30. Elizabeth Perez set a personal best with a score of 292.80 and finished third.
Garofalo added a second-place finish in the 100 Free with a season-best swim of 50.12, fastest by a Gator this season. Dressel finished third with a season-best time of 50.18. The Bulldogs held a 94-75 lead after they placed first, fourth, and fifth.
Florida managed to gain some ground after Mabel Zavaros won the 200 Back with an NCAA B Cut and personal-best time in the 200 Back. Her time was the sixth-fastest time in the NCAA. Sell placed fourth with a 1:58.73 and Georgia Darwent finished in fifth with a time of 2:00.48. The Gators trailed 101-87.
Pearl won the 200 Breast with a time of 2:14.79. Burns posted a season-best time of 2:14.94 and placed second. Fertel completed the sweep for the Gators with a third-place swim of 2:15.62. The sweep by Florida pulled the Gators within one of the Bulldogs, 104-103.
Georgia extended its lead to 114-112 at the conclusion of the 500 Free. Ault placed second with a swim of 4:51.12. Braswell posted a third-place swim of 4:52.17. Savanna Faulconer posted a season-best time with a mark of 4:53.28.
Mabel Zavaros added a second-place swim in the 100 Fly with a personal-best time of 54.33. Jillian Hatch added a fifth-place finish with a mark of 56.04. Florida trailed 128-117.
Madden came up big for the Gators with a win in the 1-meter with a score of 313.73. Lauren Snider added a season-best score of 258.15 and placed third. Emma Whitner placed fourth with a score of 257.93. The three divers brought the team score back within two, 133-131.
The divers played a key role in setting the team up with the perfect opportunity to complete the come-from-behind victory.
It was a homecoming for Head Coach Jeff Poppell, as he returned to his Alma Mater. The Bulldog program honors a student-athlete with the Jeff Poppell Award for leadership each year.
From the coaches – Head Coach Jeff Poppell
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With Georgia leading 133-131, Hannah Burns, Pearl, and Kelly Fertel swept the 400 IM and put the Gators back on top 147-136, with one event remaining. Burns posted an NCAA B Cut time with a 4:12.37, which is the sixth-fastest time in the NCAA. Pearl also notched an NCAA B Cut time after she placed second with a 4:13.02. Fertel completed the sweep with a 4:13.60. Florida led 147-136 with only the 400 Free relay left.
Bella Garofalo, Sherridon Dressel, Mabel Zavaros and Fertel sealed the victory for the Gators as they won the 400 Free with a time of 3:20.28. Their time was the fifth-fastest swim in the NCAA this season.
Florida jumped out to an early lead after Emma Ball, Pearl, Dressel, and Garofalo started the meet with a victory in the 200 Medley Relay with a time of 1:40.04. Their time was the seventh-fastest time recorded so far this season.
Georgia went on to win the 1,000 Free and the 200 Free. The Bulldogs led 33-22 after the 200 Free.
In the 100 Back, Ball posted a time of 54.01 and placed first. Sydney Sell added a third-place swim with a season-best mark of 54.91. The points by Ball and Sell pulled the Gators within six, 40-34.
Pearl won the 100 Breast with a personal-best swim of 1:01.77, which is the 14th-best time in the NCAA. Layla Black finished in fifth with a time of 1:04.94. The two helped Florida pull within five, 49-44.
The Bulldogs extended their lead to 65-47 after they swept the 200 Fly.
Mabel Zavaros swam a 1:59.62 in the 200 Fly and placed fourth. Hannah Burns placed fifth with a time of 2:00.13 and set a season best.
Garofalo and Dressel closed the gap to 71-60, after they finished first and second in the 50 Free. Garofalo posted a season-best time of 22.99, while Dressel added a season-best swim of 23.03.
At the conclusion of the 3-meter diving, Georgia held an 82-68 lead. Brooke Madden placed second with a combined score of 306.30. Elizabeth Perez set a personal best with a score of 292.80 and finished third.
Garofalo added a second-place finish in the 100 Free with a season-best swim of 50.12, fastest by a Gator this season. Dressel finished third with a season-best time of 50.18. The Bulldogs held a 94-75 lead after they placed first, fourth, and fifth.
Florida managed to gain some ground after Mabel Zavaros won the 200 Back with an NCAA B Cut and personal-best time in the 200 Back. Her time was the sixth-fastest time in the NCAA. Sell placed fourth with a 1:58.73 and Georgia Darwent finished in fifth with a time of 2:00.48. The Gators trailed 101-87.
Pearl won the 200 Breast with a time of 2:14.79. Burns posted a season-best time of 2:14.94 and placed second. Fertel completed the sweep for the Gators with a third-place swim of 2:15.62. The sweep by Florida pulled the Gators within one of the Bulldogs, 104-103.
Georgia extended its lead to 114-112 at the conclusion of the 500 Free. Ault placed second with a swim of 4:51.12. Braswell posted a third-place swim of 4:52.17. Savanna Faulconer posted a season-best time with a mark of 4:53.28.
Mabel Zavaros added a second-place swim in the 100 Fly with a personal-best time of 54.33. Jillian Hatch added a fifth-place finish with a mark of 56.04. Florida trailed 128-117.
Madden came up big for the Gators with a win in the 1-meter with a score of 313.73. Lauren Snider added a season-best score of 258.15 and placed third. Emma Whitner placed fourth with a score of 257.93. The three divers brought the team score back within two, 133-131.
The divers played a key role in setting the team up with the perfect opportunity to complete the come-from-behind victory.
It was a homecoming for Head Coach Jeff Poppell, as he returned to his Alma Mater. The Bulldog program honors a student-athlete with the Jeff Poppell Award for leadership each year.
From the coaches – Head Coach Jeff Poppell
- "I'm so proud of this women's team today!"
- "It was a back-and-forth meet against a great Georgia program that hasn't lost to Florida at home since 1993."
- "From divers to swimmers, freshmen to seniors, we received contributions from everyone today."
- "What an awesome way to start off the Florida-Georgia weekend!"
- "Go Gators!
- "Today was definitely about the team. Georgia is a great SEC rival and a good matchup for us."
- "We are still pretty early in the season. Our goal was to contribute to the team and score team points in the diving events."
- "Brooke Madden overcame some recent injuries and put the team first today."
- "Emma Whitner has been solid all season. Both freshmen, Lauren Snider and Elizabeth Perez are continuing to improve."
- The Gators travel to Tallahassee, Florida, for a matchup with the in-state rival Seminoles Friday, Nov. 2.
- The first swim is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start.
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