Jan. 9, 2010
Results
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - LMU dropped a pair of dual meets on Saturday, including a match-up against PCSC-rival UC San Diego that came down to the final race. The Lions were outscored 137-57 by Kansas, and fell by a count of 105-99 in the heartbreaker to the Tritons. Kansas bested UC San Diego in the other portion of the double-dual meet, 150-53.
Kansas came out strong and led the way from the beginning on Saturday, capturing the 400 medley relay in a time of 3:54.44. San Diego claimed second and fourth, sandwiching the Kansas `B' squad in third. LMU's relay of Tammy Choy, Camille Hopp, Trinity O'Neill and Alexa Cook took fifth with a mark of 4:07.12.
The Jayhawks dominated the 1000 freestyle event, claiming the top-three spots in the race. Rebecca Swank posted an impressive 10:17.67 to win the race, followed by teammates Carrah Haley (10:34.84) and Alyssa Potter (10:35.13). Beth Dong (10:39.13) claimed fourth overall for UC San Diego before Jill Dahle touched in 10:48.13 for the Lions, good for fifth.
Senior Anne Scott nearly chased down Kansas' Shannon Garlie in the 200 freestyle before eventually settling for second place with a time of 1:53.45. Garlie, who swam a 1:53.28, led the entire race, but Scott's third and fourth legs of the swim each bettered her opponent. Anju Shimura claimed third in 1:54.05 for San Diego, followed by two more Kansas swimmers in fourth and fifth.
Junior Isabella Zhang turned in a fantastic swim in the 50 freestyle, winning the event with a mark of 24.47. Kansas' Iuliia Kuzhil and Amanda Maez tied for second place at 24.52, followed by Carolyn Pasque in fourth with a time of 24.68. Freshman Camille Hopp took sixth overall at 24.89.
LMU's best finish in the 400 individual medley came from Choy, who placed fifth overall in 4:39.06. Kansas took first and third, as Joy Bunting claimed the top-spot with a mark of 4:26.64. Alexandra Henley earned valuable points for the Tritons, touching in 4:28.09 for second.
Kansas once again went 1-2-3 in an event, this time doing so in the 200 butterfly. Stephanie Payne finished the race in first place at 2:05.71, followed by teammates Brittany Potter (2:06.39) and Alyssa Potter (2:08.05). O'Neill was the first non-Jayhawk swimmer to finish, earning fourth in 2:08.07.
The Lions showed strength in the 100 freestyle, claiming three of the top-five spots. Monica Johannessen won the event for Kansas with a time of 52.65, but LMU's Zhang took second in 52.88. Scott followed right behind in third at 53.00, preceding another Kansas swimmer in fourth. Pasque rounded-out the top-five with a mark of 53.96.
LMU lost valuable points down the stretch, as the Lions managed fifth place finished overall in the next two events, the 200 backstroke and the 500 freestyle. Choy finished in that place in the backstroke, touching in 2:11.35. Kuzhil won the race in 2:02.86 for Kansas, followed by Shimura for UCSD at 2:05.66. A pair of Jayhawk swimmers placed third and fourth in front of Choy and the Lions. Kansas claimed the first and second spots in the 500 freestyle, as Swank once again claimed victory at 5:00.19. Garlie followed in what was a very close race for the top-three spots, touching the wall for second at 5:00.71, preceding a third-place finish from Henley and UC San Diego at 5:00.94. Dahle was the top finisher for the Lions at 5:15.01, good for fifth.
With conference rivals San Diego and LMU tied at 84 points apiece headed into the final two events, the intensity began to rise on the pool deck. The Tritons pushed hard in the 200 breaststroke, claiming second, third and fifth overall. Payne won the event for Kansas in 2:21.71. Cari Cunningham (2:24.03) and Neda Nguyen (2:26.13) took second and third for UCSD, followed by Hopp in fourth for LMU at 2:27.00.
The Lions still trailed by just 11 points headed into the final race of the day, the 400 freestyle relay. LMU needed to place both its `A' and `B' relays in front of the first relay for UCSD to defeat the Tritons in the dual meet. The team of Zhang, Pasque, Alicia Witter and Scott did its part in winning the event with a mark of 3:31.71. Kansas followed in second at 3:32.83, chased by UC San Diego in third at 3:32.99.
The Lions will now head to Hawai'i for training and a dual meet against the University of Hawai'i on January 16 at 3 p.m.
