[su_spacer size=”40″] The Lady Bulldogs, who have won the last two national titles, rolled up 172 points on Thursday. California stands second with 162 points.
[su_spacer size=”40″] “We had a heck of a day and we’re proud to be walking out of the pool with the first-day lead,” Georgia coach Jack Bauerle said. “Our ladies came in excited and ready to go. If you had told me coming in that we’d have 172 points on the first day, I’d have taken it. It was a job well done because there are so many great teams here. Our young ladies really set the tone with an excellent morning session. These meets are always won in the mornings and we need another good one on Friday.”
[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia opened the night by placing third in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Maddie Locus, Chantal Van Landeghem, Olivia Smoliga and Lauren Harrington stopped the clock in 1:26.93.
[su_spacer size=”40″] In the 500-yard freestyle, Amber McDermott paced the Lady Bulldogs as she came in fourth in 4:35.31. Hali Flickinger placed sixth in 4:37.40, followed by Brittany MacLean in seventh at 4:38.05 and Rachel Zilinskas in eighth in 4:39.22. Jordan Mattern won the consolation final in 4:36.49 to take ninth.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Annie Zhu touched in 1:57.46 to wind up eighth in the 200-yard individual medley. Meaghan Raab finished 12th with a time of 1:56.65, while Emily Cameron claimed 13th in 1:56.83.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Locus led the way for Georgia in the 50-yard freestyle by placing fifth in 21.80. Van Landeghem secured sixth in 21.97 and Smoliga went 22.09 for eighth.
[su_spacer size=”40″] The 400-yard medley relay of Kylie Stewart, Zhu, Harrington and Van Landeghem finished eighth in 3:31.91.
[su_spacer size=”40″] The NCAAs will continue on Friday with the 200-yard medley relay, the 400-yard individual medley, the 100-yard butterfly, the 200-yard freestyle, the 100-yard breaststroke, the 100-yard backstroke, 3-meter diving and the 800-yard freestyle relay. Prelims will begin at 11 a.m., followed by finals at 7 p.m.