Squad happy to be playing at home
After a bounce-back win against East Carolina last week and a disappointing loss to Tennessee two weeks ago, the South Carolina men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams will prepare to face off against the LSU Tigers on Saturday at the Carolina Natatorium.
Head coach McGee Moody said he believes the Tigers are a great matchup for South Carolina and will define the season.
“Moving forward, both teams are in a pretty good place, and LSU matches up really well with us,” Moody said, “Basically what we’ve done and what we’ll continue to do is identify some of the places in the first three meets where we’ve needed improvement, and we’ve really been focusing on those things through our training and in the weight room.”
Currently ranked No. 25 in the NCAA, the men’s team, now 2-1, showed its depth in last Saturday’s meet against ECU, claiming 13 events to easily defeat the Pirates 191-107. Senior Michael Flach and redshirt freshman Kevin Leithold each won three individual events.
Flach won the 100- and 200-yard butterfly and the 1000-yard freestyle, while Leithold placed first in 50- and 100-yard freestyles and 200-yard individual medley. The two, along with junior Michael Covert and senior Gerard Rodriguez, also won the 400-yard freestyle relay.
Junior diver Cole Miller was also a huge contributor to the victory, winning both the 1- and 3-meter dives.
The meet was much closer on the women’s side, and the winner was determined in the final relay.
The lady Pirates, by winning the 400-yard freestyle relay, beat the lady Gamecocks by just 5 points, 152.5-147.5.
Moody said that despite the loss, he was pleased with the women’s performance.
“The women were very good today,” said Moody, himself an East Carolina graduate. “Our girls were faster than they were at Tennessee; they were sharper than they were at Tennessee. East Carolina was just outstanding today, probably the best East Carolina women’s team I’ve ever seen.”
Nevertheless, Moody said he thinks that being at home for the upcoming meet with LSU will give the Gamecocks a slight edge, despite how evenly the two teams match up.
“Having LSU at home makes a huge difference,” Moody said, “There’s not a coach in the country that would choose being away rather than being at home. Hopping on a bus, eating at a restaurant, it’s just not a comfortable place to be.
“So this one SEC meet at home, we have to take advantage of it. Both (LSU’s) men’s and women’s teams match up so well, it’s going to be about who wants to win and who wants to get to the wall first.”