There was plenty happening at Campus Pool this weekend as the home side UCSB Gauchos went up against the University of the Pacific Tigers for a conference swim meet. Both schools came into this matchup with something to prove as they competed for MPSF rankings. At the end of the day, the Gaucho men’s triumphed in a close victory and the women’s couldn’t find the comeback they were looking for.

After the 32-event-long swim meet, point totals concluded with the UCSB men’s managing to hold onto their late lead with a final score of 147-140, whereas the Pacific women’s kept their composure with a 158-120 win.

With these results, the UCSB men’s conference record improves to 2-0 and the previously undefeated women’s get their first conference loss of the season and fall to 3-1.

Some of today’s highlights include the Gaucho women’s opening up the meet with a victory in the 400-yard medley relay as swimmers senior Cheyenne Low, sophomore Rachel Kulik, freshman Heaven Quintana and senior Julia Mikota finished with a finals time of 3:44:49.

The women’s then continued their early form with freshman Emily Boggess’s 10:16.72 finals time in the 1000-yard free, almost three whole seconds faster than second place.

The men’s first win of the day was also in the 1000-yard free when freshman Joe Lastelic placed first at 9:44.18.

To counter the Gauchos’ early momentum, the Pacific Tigers would go on and sweep the following two races in the 200-yard free event.

Then junior Allison Stevens would respond with a 57.30 finals time in the 100-yard back, whilst senior teammate Low took first at 55.82.

Quintana, the freshman sensation, continued her promising form by claiming first in the 100-yard breast with a 1:03.77 showing.

The junior Jonathan Panchak then followed up with a time of 56.43, also in the 100-yard breast.

For the men’s 200-yard fly, juniors Chris Nolan and Kevin Mendoza earned the Gauchos first and second place with their times of 1:49.44 and 1:49.53, with Nolan as the victor.

The Tigers would respond with yet another sweep, this time in both of the 50-yard free events.

A reminder, at the halfway mark was a three meter diving event, but in UCSB’s case it was voided considering there is no Dive team roster.

Senior swimmer Mikota led the women’s 100-yard free with a finals time of 51.95.

UCSB then went on to sweep the women’s and men’s 200-yard back with Low taking first at 2:01.19 and junior Billy Mullis at 1:46.49.

Panchak also found first in a close men’s 200-yard breast with a finals time of 2:05.17; just a fraction of a second ahead of the second place swimmer.

The Gauchos dominated the men’s 500-yard free by claiming first- through fourth-place finishes; spearheaded by Lastelic first place time of 4:31.08.

Yoessef Tibazi, the senior swimmer, claimed first in the men’s 100-yard fly with half a second lead at 48.35.

First place in the men’s 400-yard individual medley was won by senior Dylan Kubick with an impressive time of 3:57.25. The Gauchos men’s would go on to close out the meet with first place in the 200-yard free relay, thanks to the A relay team of Mullis, Tibazi, sophomore Mason Tittle and freshman Riley Ferguson. They clocked in at 1:22.33, just a twentieth of a second faster than the Tigers’ second place finish.

To recap, the UCSB men’s bested Pacific on nine of 15 total events, while the UCSB women’s placed first in only six. The women’s side lost the score lead due to their late decline, whereas the men’s was victorious due to their late consistency. This shaped the Gauchos overall success. It was a great day for a swim meet.

Swim season will continue next week on Friday when UCSB travels away to Las Vegas, Nevada, where they will face off against UNLV in an exhibition meet at 5 p.m.