Jan. 21, 2005
TEMPE, Ariz. - The Arizona State University swimming and diving teams took on Stanford Friday afternoon at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center where the women fell to the Cardinal 177-117, while the men were defeated 130-103. Junior diver Joona Puhakka had a standout performance for the men, breaking his own school-record in the 1-meter diving event set in 2003.
The women hit the water first against the Cardinal women, with the 200 medley relay team of Florencia Szigeti, Ágnes Kovács, Caitlin Andrew and Erin Baldinger getting edged out at the wall taking second-place with a time of 1:43.43.
Freshman Andrew led the Sun Devils to their first victory of the day in the 100 backstroke where she swam an NCAA consideration time of 55.80. Senior All-American Kovács took to the water in the 100 breaststroke, swimming an NCAA qualifying time of 1:01.87.
Szigeti was edged out at the wall in the 100 freestyle event swimming an NCAA consideration time of 51.12. Kovács continued her stellar day, claiming a second NCAA qualifying time in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:12.06, taking second-place behind Stanford's Caroline Bruce. Sophomore Christine Creek finished in third-place in that event, swimming a NCAA consideration time of 2:17.72.
Andrew hit the water again in the 100 butterfly event, swimming against U.S. Olympian Dana Kirk of Stanford, taking second-place barely getting edged out by Kirk in a NCAA consideration time of 54.52.
Ending the day for the Sun Devil women in the pool was the 200 freestyle relay team of Szigeti, Andrew, Baldinger and Laura Ullrich. The ASU relay team touched the wall first with a time of 1:34.00.
In the diving pool for the women, sophomore Cassidy Farwell was the lone Sun Devil competing. She took third-place honors in the 3-meter competition with a score of 233.85 and finished fourth overall in the 1-meter with a score of 201.68.
Puhakka started off the afternoon for the Sun Devil men in the diving pool. The reigning NCAA Champion returned to dual meet action for the first time since November taking first-place honors in the 1-meter and 3-meter events. Puhakka bettered his previous school-record in the 1-meter springboard event with a 403.58 and took the top honor in the 3-meter with a 380.85. Puhakka set a new school-record in the 3-meter event earlier this season. Junior diver Brant Bingham was also in competition for the Sun Devils, finishing in third-place in the 1-meter event with a score of 252.00 and fourth in the 3-meter with a score of 212.18.
In the swimming pool, freshman Lucas Azevedo took to the water in the first individual event of the day in the 1000 freestyle, finishing second in a time of 9:27.26. Nuess followed up with a strong showing in the 400 IM, claiming second-place in 3:56.41.
Junior All-American David Kolozar hit the water next in the 200 butterfly swimming a season-best and NCAA consideration time of 1:47.44 to take second-place. Azevedo grabbed the first-place time in the 500 freestyle swimming 4:40.40.
Nuess took to the water again in the 200 breaststroke, edging out teammate Leo Martins for first-place with a season-best time of 2:02.74 while Martins took second in 2:02.75.
Rounding out competition for the Sun Devil men was the 200 freestyle relay of Richie Crowder, Pat Fleming, Jeff Barrett and Tom Hickman. The relay swam the second-fastest time of the season in 1:24.31.
The ASU swimming and diving teams return to action Saturday at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center when they host California. Saturday's meet will be the last home dual meet of the season for the Sun Devils and is senior appreciation day. Events are schedule to begin at 1 p.m.