The first day of a grueling three-day string of competition was a successful one for the Florida women’s swimming team as they defeated Arkansas 173-125 in Fayetteville, Ark.
The Gators relied heavily on seniors Sarah Bateman and Teresa Crippen, as well as sophomore Elizabeth Beisel, who all recorded race wins.
The trio joined forces to contribute to a win in the 400-yard freestyle relay while Bateman took home the 100 backstroke and freestyle events, Crippen won the 200 backstroke and Beisel earned first-place finishes in the 200 and 500 freestyles.
Coach Gregg Troy noted the effort turned in by Bateman, saying that his star senior “really stood out and performed well for us today… She was outstanding.”
Another Gator brimming with confidence after her performance Thursday is junior Jamie Bohunicky. The Gainesville native won sprint events in the All-Florida Invitational and against LSU, but she proved her versatility on Thursday by fighting her way to a close victory in the long-distance 1,000 freestyle.
A primary test that this three-day road swing will provide for the Gators is the challenge of performing on the road.
“The team handled the travel very well,” Troy said. “We’re very pleased with where we are right now.”
The Gators also got strong performances from several younger swimmers.
Freshmen Rebecca Rainer, Natasha Fung and Summer Stephens all scored top-three finishes in their first collegiate meet away from the O’Connell Center, and sophomores like Hilda Luthersdottir and Kaitlin Frehling all picked up crucial points.
On a night like Thursday when everybody seemed to fill their roles for the Gators, Troy took the time to appreciate the performance.
“We swam really well tonight,” he said. “Overall, I’m pleased with the result.”
