Nov. 15, 2003
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TEMPE, Ariz. - The No. 16 Arizona State men's swimming and diving team (2-1, 1-0) defeated No. 5 Southern California (0-2, 0-1) 172.50-127.50 today in their Pac-10 dual meet opener at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center. The women's meet went to USC by the closest of margins, as the No. 5 Trojans squeezed by the No. 13 Sun Devils 150-149. Competition in both meets was conducted in short course meters.
The men's upset charge was led by All-Americans Nick Brunelli, Ahmed Hussein and Joona Puhakka, who each won every event they entered. Brunelli's impressive afternoon included three victories and two NCAA consideration times. In the 200m freestyle, the senior outpaced the field with an effort of 1:50.29 to notch an NCAA "B" time. Brunelli won the 50m freestyle in 22.94, while in the 100m freestyle he recorded another consideration time with his victory in 49.79.
Hussein won both backstroke races, claiming first in the 100m back with a time of 55.33 and also taking home top honors in the 200m back with a 1:58.48, a NCAA "B" time. Puhakka continues his dominance in the diving pool where today the defending NCAA 1-meter champion claimed victory on both the 1-meter (379.43) and the 3-meter (363.30).
Other individual first-place finishes for the Sun Devil men on the day included Emerson Ward in the 100m breaststroke (1:03.91), David Kolozar in the 200m butterfly (1:59.93) and Leonardo Martins in the 200m breaststroke (2:16.39). Kolozar's victory in the 200m came by nearly a six second margin and gives the Hungarian a NCAA consideration time.
Both Sun Devil men's relays took home first with the 200m medley relay of Hussein, Ward, Steve McDonald and Brunelli recording a 1:42.03 and the 200m freestyle relay of Wiley Wallace, Bobby Crowder, Pat Fleming and Jeff Barrett clocking a 1:31.81.
On the women's side, ?gnes Kov?cs had another big day for the Sun Devils as the All-American dominated the breaststroke events, earned second in the 200 IM and recorded NCAA automatic qualifying times in all three of those races. In the 100m breast, Kov?cs took first in 1:08.77 while in the 200 she touched the wall in 2:27.10. In the 200 IM she clocked a 2:14.06, second to USC's Kaitlin Sandeno (2:12.80), who recorded an NCAA automatic qualifying time for the Trojans.
The Sun Devils' Florencia Szigeti also notched two wins on the afternoon, as she took home first place in both the 200m freestyle (2:02.12) and the 50m freestyle (26.43). She finished second in the 100m freestyle (56.23), notching a NCAA "B" time to go with one she got for her effort in the 200m free.
Other NCAA consideration times for the Sun Devils on the day were earned by Petra Banovic in the 200m free (2:03.11) and Christine Creek in the 200m breast (2:33.75). The ASU women also took home first in both relays with the 200m medley relay of Erin Baldinger, Kov?cs, Florence Mauro and Szigeti recording a 1:55.05 and the 200m freestyle relay clocking a 1:45.86.
In the diving pool for the women, Nicci Fusaro won both events for USC, scoring a 302.03 on the 1-meter and a 327.15 on the 3-meter. Sun Devil All-American Trisha Tumlinson finished second on the 1-meter (250.42) and the 3-meter (315.30).