KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The LSU swimming and diving teams were defeated by nationally ranked Tennessee and Virginia on Saturday at the Student Aquatic Center.
The LSU men (0-4) lost to the 12th-ranked Vols, 127-105 and were also defeated by No. 9 Virginia by the score of 148-84. The LSU women (1-4) fell to the Lady Vols, 143-99. The visiting Cavalier women also dealt the LSU women a loss, 139-95.
Jessica Wantz continued her winning streak while sweeping both women’s diving events for the second consecutive dual meet. Wantz won the 1-meter with a score of 291.05, nearly 30 points better than teammate Hali Saucier, who took the runner-up position.
LSU divers were the only participants to take a one and two finish by any school all day. Saucier’s mark of 263.40 in the 1-meter dominated over the next competitor, Tennessee’s Lauren LeRoy.
The duo of Wantz and Saucier took first and second honors again in the women’s 3-meter. Saucier was second with a score of 251.35, but it was Wantz who bettered the score with a mark of 319.25 to win it.
In men’s diving, freshman Niko Dalman paced the Tigers with a pair of runner-up finishes. Dalman dove a score of 287.75 in the 1-meter and completed the day with a mark of 276.55 in the 3-meter.
The Tigers did manage some impressive swims on the day, including Jan Minartz and Christian Clausen. Minartz finished third in the men’s 500 freestyle (4:37.63). Clausen also delivered a third-place finish, touching the wall at 2:05.00 in the 200 breaststroke.
LSU’s 200 medley relay team of Lindsay Staak, Lauren Harvey, Heather Brand and Colleen Bertirotti nearly took home a top-two finish in the event. The group jumped past four other teams to take third with a season-high time of 1:45.41.
Bertirotti also participated in the 50 and 100 free, sprint events the sophomore has competed very well in over the past two seasons. She placed third and fourth, respectively, swimming times of 24.01 and 52.45.
LSU continues its four-meet road trip next Friday, Jan. 21 at TCU. Events are slated to begin at 1 p.m. CST.