Jan. 8, 2005
TEMPE, Ariz. - The Arizona State University swimming teams had their second dual meet of the new year Saturday afternoon at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center as the men took on the University of British Columbia while the women swam against Oregon State. Both Sun Devil teams came out on top as the men topped the Wildcats, 157-105, and the women overcame the Beavers, 175-86.
Starting off the day for the Sun Devil women was the 200 medley relay team of Florencia Szigeti, Ágnes Kovács, Caitlin Andrew and Erin Baldinger with a first-place time of 1:43.94. Up next for the women was the 1,000 freestyle event which saw the Sun Devils finish 1,2 behind a first-place swim by Sarah A Fischer (10:03.97) followed closely by Kathryn Hennessy (10:04.21). Reigning Pac-10 Champion in the 200 freestyle, Szigeti, was true to form as she touched the wall well ahead of the rest of the field in 1:50.88. Andrew swam into one of her first-place finishes in the 100 backstroke, edging out Ausra Pacebutaite of Oregon State with a time of 56.12.
Kovács, swimming in her first meet of the season for the Sun Devils coming off a shoulder injury, started her season off on a high-note swimming a NCAA consideration time of 1:03.11 in the 100 breaststroke to take top honors in that event. The Sun Devil women continued their dominance in the 100 freestyle where they claimed a 1,2,3 sweep with Szigeti taking first with a time of 51.28. Szigeti was followed by teammates Lindsey Brown (52.07) and Sally Brown (52.63).
Kovács then swam her second NCAA consideration time in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:16.13, where she dominated the rest of the field by over 2 seconds. The 100 butterfly event was up next for the Sun Devil women which saw Andrew claim her second individual top honor for the day in 55.58 with teammate Laura Ullrich grabbing second-place in 57.51.
Following a quick break in the action, the Sun Devil women took control of the final two events as they claimed the top three spots in the 200 IM and took first-place in the 200 freestyle event. The 200 IM saw Sally Brown earn the victory with a time of 2:04.94. Amanda Gillespie edged out teammate Cara DeVinny for second-place, swimming 2:08.24 while DeVinny finished in 2:08.35. Rounding out the afternoon for the Sun Devils was the 200 freestyle relay team of Szigeti, Andrew, Ullrich and Baldinger who touched the wall 2 seconds ahead of the rest of the field in 1:34.34.
The 200 medley relay team got things started for the Sun Devil men as the team of Evan Rahaeuser, Emerson Ward, Steve McDonald and Jeff Barrett swam to a first-place finish with a time of 1:32.79. Lucas Azevedo followed with a dominating swim in the 1000 freestyle event, swimming a time of 9:19.88.
The men continued to look strong as they finished 1,2 in the 200 freestyle. Barrett claimed top honors with a time of 1:41.36, edging out teammate David Kolozar who swam a 1:42.19. The Sun Devil men continued to show their command as they earned the 1,2,3 sweep in the 200 butterfly behind a first-place swim of Kolozar. Kolozar touched the wall in 1:49.34 and was followed by teammates CJ Nuess (1:53.41) and Brett Meconis (1:55.56).
The men then swam into another 1,2 finish in the 50 freestyle with Pat Fleming taking top honors (21.09) followed by Richie Crowder (21.17). The 100 freestyle event saw a similar outcome with Barrett claiming first-place in a time of 46.30 while Fleming grabbed second in this event in 46.62. Azevedo swam to his second individual first-place finish of the day as he picked up the pace in the final 100 yards to edge out Malcolm Lavoie of UBC with a time of 4:31.66.
The men finished out the day strong as they swam into a 1,2,3 sweep in the 100 butterfly event behind the first-place swim of McDonald (50.69). Meconis followed in second-place (51.58) while John Dwelley grabbed the third slot (51.84). Nuess led the 200 IM field, swimming to first-place in 1:51.80 as Kolozar took second-place honors in 1:52.49. Finishing out the afternoon for the Sun Devil men was the 200 freestyle relay team of Richie Crowder, Fleming, Barrett and Tom Hickman. The relay team touched the wall in 1:23.26, defeating the rest of the field by more than 3 seconds.
Up next for the Sun Devil men is a trip to the Dallas Morning News Invitational, January 14-15 in Dallas, Texas. The ASU men's and women's swimming and diving teams return to action at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center in two weeks as they return to Pac-10 action against Stanford, January 21 and California January 22.