The weekend started off poor for the Gauchos as the UCSB women’s swim and dive team fell to UC Davis on Friday by a score of 174-126. However, they got back on track Saturday, notching victories against both University of the Pacific and Loyola Marymount University by scores of 156-105 and 189-70, respectively. The UCSB men’s swim team also recorded a victory against University of the Pacific with a score of 183-79.

Following the win, the UCSB men’s swim and dive team improves its overall record to 5-1 while the women advance to 9-2 overall. For the University of the Pacific, their men’s swim team falls to 3-3, and their women’s swim team sits at 3-4. Loyola Marymount’s women’s swim team drops to 2-5.

“All in all I would say it was a good weekend,” Head Coach Gregg Wilson said. “For the women it was disappointing Friday, but I’m actually very pleased with how things went on Saturday.”

Saturday proved to be great day of swimming, especially for the Gaucho men. They managed to grab first place finishes in 13 of the 14 events on the day. Sophomore Andy Castilleja and senior Ryan Hanni were crucial to the win, as they both placed first in two individual events. Castilleja took first in the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke with times of 56.89 and 2:03.51, respectively. Hanni dominated both the 50 and 100-yard freestyle with times of 20.85 and 45.33, respectively.

UCSB sophomore Mickey Mowry continued his stellar swimming, earning three individual victories and helping the Gauchos secure first in the 200-yard medley relay with a top time of 1:32.56. Mowry’s victories came in the 200-yard freestyle (1:41.46), the 200-yard butterfly (1:48.89) and the 100-yard butterfly (49.00).

“Mickey Mowry has been busting loose,” Coach Wilson said. “He swam some amazing races, and the 100 fly was just spectacular.”

The UCSB women’s swim and dive team turned the weekend into a positive with the help of senior co-captain Sophia Yamauchi, as she received first place finishes in every event she swam. Yamauchi took both the 100 and 200-yard backstroke with times of 57.63 and 2:03.02, respectively. She also helped procure victory for the women in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:43.00 and the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:30.68.

“It was all smiles for me on Saturday,” Yamauchi said. “Being able to beat both teams was great for the team and our mental attitudes.”

On Friday, UC Davis handed the Gaucho women their first loss since Nov. 1. UCSB swam and dove well through 31 events, but the Aggies simply swam and dove better. Senior Liliana Alvarez set school records for the Aggies in both the 200-yard medley relay (1:42.52) and the 200-yard breaststroke (2:16.08).

Senior Andrea Ward continued to swim great Friday, earning two first place finishes in the 100 and 200-yard butterfly events with times of 54.14 and 1:58.88, respectively.

“It was definitely disappointing to come out with the loss on Friday,” Ward said. “We had a lot of good swims that day, but Davis came at us really strong.”

The UCSB swim and dive team hosts Cal Poly in a dual meet this Saturday at noon.

 

This article is an online exclusive and did not appear in the print edition of The Daily Nexus.

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