Michigan Crushes Ohio State in Rivalry Dual Meet
The Michigan Wolverines hosted fierce rival Ohio State for the annual dual meet between the two teams, and Wolverines head coach Matt Bowe led his women’s and men’s teams to dominant victories against his former team. Letitia Sim was a triple-winner for Michigan on the way to a 197.5-102.5 victory while the men won 188-112.
The Wolverine women’s team of Lexi Greenhawt, Letitia Sim, Brady Kendall and Lindsay Flynn dominated the 200 medley relay to begin the meet, clocking 1:36.69. Sim picked up the win in the 100 breaststroke (1:00.49), and Flynn followed up with wins in the 50 freestyle (22.11) and 100 freestyle (48.41). Sim returned to dominate the 200 breast in 2:10.66, and her third individual win came in the 200 IM (1:59.24).
Kendall secured the top spot in the 100 butterfly (53.57), and Stephanie Balduccini, the No. 1-ranked 200 freestyler in the country this season, topped her main event in 1:46.81. The team of Balduccini, Kendall, Claire Newman and Flynn won the 400 free relay in 3:16.79.
Rebecca Diaconescu finished first in the 1000 free (9:42.66) and 500 free (4:47.89). Casey Chung placed first in the 100 backstroke (53.67), with Hannah Bellard dominating the field in the 200 fly (1:58.02). Kiarra Milligan finished first in 3-meter diving (354.53).
Ohio State’s first win came in diving, with Paola Pineda topping 1-meter (327.38). Delia Lloyd came in first in the 200 back (1:57.75), but the Buckeye women would not win again.
The Michigan men opened up with a dominant 200 medley relay effort from Jack Wilkening, Ozan Kalafat, Tyler Ray and Bence Szabados (1:25.47). Wilkening got on the board in the 100 back (47.15), and Ray won the 200 fly (1:45.26) and 100 fly (46.74). Szabados blasted a time of 19.87 to win the 50 free by three hundredths.
Jon Jontvedt came in first in the 1000 free (9:05.34), and Jaeddan Gamilla came out on top in the 100 breast (53.77). Gal Cohen Groumi was first in the 100 free (43.34), proceeding wins from Eitan Ben-Shitrit (200 back, 1:44.92) and Eduardo Moraes (500 free, 4:23.75)
In diving, Cameron Gammage took first in 3-meter (408.68) and 1-meter (389.40), and Colin Geer picked up Michigan’s final win in the 200 IM, holding off Ohio State’s Tristan Jankovics by six hundredths, 1:45.85 to 1:45.91.
Ohio State got on the board when Tomas Navikonis overtook the Wolverines’ Ben-Shitrit to win the 200 free, 1:35.72 to 1:35.93. Prior to Jankovics taking second in the 200 IM, he came out on top of a battle with Geer in the 200 breast, holding off his Wolverine rival by five hundredths, 1:57.97 to 1:57.92. Navikonis, Daniel Baltes, Mario McDonald and Cornelius Jahn picked up the win in the 400 free relay (2:55.65) to round out the meet.
