The #4 ranked Cal swim team defeated the UCSB women 142-95 this past Friday at Campus Pool, with the only individual win for the Gauchos coming by way of sophomore Jamie Lathers who took the 50-yard freestyle in 24.45. Yet the weekend was not all bad news for Santa Barbara, who hosted Cal Poly Saturday, with the men taking a 170-123 win and the women winning 12 of the 14 events to earn a 157-136 victory.

The 50-yard freestyle was the best event of Friday’s meet for the Gauchos with sophomore Anne Marie May taking second just a fraction of a second behind Lathers with a time of 24.53. Cal went on to take the 200-yard free with sophomore Liz Wagner finishing second, as her 1:52.34 time was out-touched by Cal who took first in the event in 1:52.11. UCSB lost by less than three-tenths of a second in the 200 free relay with a time of 1:37.40 behind Cal’s 1:37.03.

“I think we did really well, considering Cal is one of the best teams out there,” senior Jen Schwalb said. “Everyone got out on the blocks and raced their hearts out.”

Despite falling to the best team in the country Friday, the women rallied Saturday, losing just two events to the Mustangs. Wagner finished with three individual wins in the 200 individual medley in 2:07.73, the 100-yard back in 59 flat, and the 200 back in 2:04.46.

Even without the help of a diving team due to funding issues, the Gauchos prevailed in both the men’s and women’s meets despite holding an offsite diving event that was scored with the other events.

Sophomore Jessica Cruzat established herself in the 1,000-yard freestyle, taking the best time for her team in the event this season with a time of 10:28.42. Cruzat, along with seniors Schwalb, junior Courtney Jenkins and senior Katie Moeckel won the 400 free relay. Schwalb, like Cruzat, also swam in an off-event, winning the 200 free in 1:54.87.

Young talent proved beneficial Saturday as three freshmen each took individual victories over their Big West opponents. Freshman Katie Ure won the 100 fly in 59.13, freshman Niki Schrakamp won the 200 fly in 2:09.98 and Jessica Schwalb finished first in the 500 free with a time of 5:15.95.

“Last weekend was a really great weekend for us,” Schwalb said. “We came out and competed with Cal, and then came back out on Saturday to beat Cal Poly.”

In the men’s meet, swimmers freshman Daniel McClary and senior Myles Peck each had double-event victories in the 170-123 conference win. Senior team captain Pat Cary, along with teammates sophomore Bradley Matsumoto, freshman Travis Jepson and freshman Matt Sullivan started the Gauchos off with a win in the 200 medley relay in 1:35.72. Cary also won the 200 free in 1:49.79 and touched in at 49.74 to win the 100 fly. Peck took the 500 free in 4:39.88 and the 100 back, finishing in 52.43. McClary took the 200 IM in 1:54.87 and the 100 breast with a time of 59.63.

Following a break during the Thanksgiving weekend, the teams will fly to Austin, Texas for the Texas Invitational on Nov. 30. Schwalb, said that the teams to compete in the invitational will be among the best in the country, including Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, the University of Texas and Cal.

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