Cal Defeats UCLA 155-144 As Meet Comes Down To Final Relay

UCLA vs Cal

The UCLA women hosted Cal on Saturday. The meet came down to the final event as Cal won the meet by 11 points, 155-144.

Isabelle Stadden led the way for Cal. Stadden swept the backstroke events, winning the 100 in a 54.14 and the 200 in a 1:56.87. Her 200 backstroke was key as she finished about a second ahead of UCLA’s Rosie Murphy who touched in a 1:57.92.

Stadden also helped Cal win the meet on the final event. The team’s 200 free relay of Stephanie Akakabota, Eloise Riley, Stadden, and Ella Mazurek. The team swam to a final time of a 1:30.52. Stadden had the faster split with a 22.32 flying start.

Akakabota and Riley each earned individual wins as well, battling it out with UCLA’s Brooke Schaffer each time. Akakabota won the 50 free in a 23.07, just 0.05 seconds ahead of UCLA’s Schaffer who touched in a 23.12. Riley won the women’s 100 frein a 50.03, just 0.07 seconds ahead of Schaffer who touched in a 50.10.

Leah Polonsky earned two individual wins for Cal. Polonsky first won the 200 fly in a 2:01.14. Later in the meet, Polonsky won the 200 IM by over a second, touching in a 2:00.25.

UCLA had big wins from their distance freestyle groups. Paige Maceachern won the women’s 500 freestyle in a 4:54.55, half a second ahead of Cal’s Kathryn Hazle who touched in a 4:55.03. Maceachern was second in the 1000 freestyle, touching two seconds behind teammate Ashley Kolessar. Kolessar touched in a 10:05.39 while Maceachern touched in a 10:07.45.

Despite losing the 200 free relay, UCLA picked up big points in the 400 medley relay to open the meet. UCLA’s ‘B’ relay of Rosie Murphy, Eva Carlson, Joanie Cash, and Sarah Bennetts won in a 3:40.27. UCLA’s ‘A relay of Fay Lustria, Ana Jih-Schiff, Aislinn Walsh, and Schaffer was second in a 3:40.51.

Jih-Schiff also helped UCLA to an individual win, touching at the wall in the 200 breast in a 2:14.60. Jih-Schiff led a 1-2 charge as Bennetts was 2nd in a 2:15.16.

Diving was huge for UCLA as they won both events, including a 1-2-3 sweep on the 1 meter. Eden Cheng won the 1 meter in a 277.0, and Zoe Kespersgaard won the 3 meter in a 294.85.

Other event winners:

  • 200 free: Ava Chavez, Cal, 1:48.89
  • 100 breast: Jade Nesser, Cal, 1:01.47
  • 100 fly: Mia Kragh, Cal, 53.70

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Andrew
5 months ago

lmaooo all the people yapping about how Durden and Marsh turned the women’s program around have been real quiet lately

MarshFAN
Reply to  Andrew
5 months ago

Cal won – Cal on the way up in a hurry thanks to Marsh Magic!

NoFastTwitch
Reply to  Andrew
5 months ago

I’d wait until NCAAs before lyao.

I miss the ISL
5 months ago

Not going to lie, this is kind of concerning for Cal. They should routinely be smoking UCLA. Is UCLA getting better or is this Cal underperforming?

Chucky
Reply to  I miss the ISL
5 months ago

Cal performed very well the day before vs USC. To say they were a little flat against UCLA is an understatement.

Forkfull
Reply to  Chucky
5 months ago

suited vs. unsuited. Also, UCLA swam Stanford very close the day before- probably a bit of both

About Anya Pelshaw

Anya Pelshaw

Anya has been with SwimSwam since June 2021 as both a writer and social media coordinator. She was in attendance at the 2022 and 2023 Women's NCAA Championships writing and doing social media for SwimSwam. Currently, Anya is pursuing her B.A. in Economics and a minor in Government & Law at …

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