Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt
- January 3, 2025
- Centennial SportsPlex — Nashville, TN
- 25 Yards (SCY)
- Scores: Kentucky, 174 def. Vanderbilt, 82
- Full Outcomes
The Kentucky ladies traveled to Nashville, Tenn. to start the second semester of racing with an SEC duel in opposition to Vanderbilt. The Wildcats touched first in all 14 occasions within the pool, handily defeating the Commodores, 174 to 82.
Not solely did Kentucky contact first in each occasion, however the one occasions the place they didn’t contact a minimum of first and second have been the 200 medley relay, 1000 freestyle, and 200 butterfly.
Junior Grace Frericks factored into 4 of the Wildcats’ wins. The 2024 NCAA qualifier received the 100 backstroke, main a 1-2-3 sweep for Kentucky with a 55.74. Later within the meet, she swam 51.69 to win the 100 freestyle.
Frericks additionally led off Kentucky’s 200 medley and 400 freestyle ‘A’ relays. She break up 25.96 on the opening backstroke leg, setting the staff up for a win in 1:43.98 as she was adopted by Bridget Engel (29.02), Lydia Hanlon (25.49), and Maddy Hartley (23.51). She opened the 400 freestyle relay in 52.12 and teamed with Hartley (53.42), Lauren West (52.83), and Torie Buerger (54.02). The quartet touched first in 3:32.39, although Kentucky swam the ultimate two occasions exhibition.
Frericks wasn’t the one Wildcat to win two particular person occasions on the meet. The freshman trio of Billie Sherratt, Hayden Penny, and Katy Jost have been all double-event winners. Sherrat received the 200 butterfly, one of many closest occasions of the meet, as she out-touched Vanderbilt’s Kailia Utley by three-hundredths, 2:03.68 to 2:03.71. She accomplished her sweep of the butterfly occasions later, coming from behind on the second 50 yards to get forward of her teammate Hartley.
Jost swept the space freestyle occasions, first successful the 1000 freestyle in 10:19.94, then taking the five hundred freestyle with a 5:00.38. In the meantime, Penny hit season-bests as she received the 200 freestyle and 200 breaststroke (1:50.40/2:18.38). The 200 freestyle was one other 1-2-3 end for Kentucky.
After the 200 medley relay and 1000 freestyle—the place the Commodores have been capable of seize second place—the Wildcats started rolling with their 1-2-3 end within the 200 freestyle and didn’t let up. Kentucky earned the highest three spots within the 200 free, 100 again, 100 breast, 50 free, 200 again, and 200 IM.
Utley and Mercedes Traba have been the highlights of the meet for Vanderbilt. After narrowly ending second within the 200 butterfly, Utley touched third within the 100 butterfly with a 57.32. Traba, her classmate, earned the staff’s different particular person top-two end, clocking 10:26.62 to take second within the 1000 freestyle. Like Utley, she picked up third place in her second particular person occasion, swimming 5:06.08 within the 500 free.
Reagan Mathieson’s third place within the 100 freestyle (52.58) and Emily Constable’s third within the 200 breaststroke (2:22.96) represented Vanderbilt’s different top-three finishers in particular person occasions. Moreover, Aubrey Hull, Constable, Karsyn Cook dinner, and Mathieson mixed to complete second within the opening 200 medley relay (1:44.50).
This win marks the Kentucky ladies’s first twin meet win in opposition to a fellow SEC staff this season. Subsequent, they’ll head to Indiana to tackle Purdue and Notre Dame in a tri-meet on Jan. 10. In the meantime, Vanderbilt hosts Arkansas on Jan. 17 for the staff’s subsequent twin meet.
