The Florida women’s swimming team suffered its
first loss of the season at the Dallas Classic on Saturday.
The Gators came in second in the six-team
field, falling to Texas 350-330 in the two-day competition, with
SMU coming in a distant third with 257 points.
Despite the agonizingly narrow defeat, many of
the Gators who swam on Friday and Saturday turned in sterling
performances.
None of Florida’s performances were more
impressive than that of Elizabeth Beisel. The sophomore reaffirmed
her status as one of the nation’s top swimmers after she went
undefeated in her individual events, winning the 400-yard
individual medley, the 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke, and the 200
IM, with her only blemish coming in the 800 freestyle relay. Even
in the relay loss, Beisel swam the quickest leg of the event.
Senior Sarah Bateman and junior Jaime
Bohunicky also turned in superb performances for the Gators.
Bateman won the 50 freestyle, the 100
butterfly, and came in a close second in the 100 freestyle.
Bohunicky continued her hot start to the year
with victories in the 500 free, and second place finishes in the
200 butterfly and the 200 free.
The Gators will return to competition next
Friday, October 28 in the O’Connell Center Natatorium where both
the men’s and women’s teams will face Southeastern Conference rival
Georgia.
