Kao’s Double Helps Cal Men to Victory Over Pacific

CALIFORNIA VS. PACIFIC

  • Results
  • Hosted by Pacific
  • Friday, October 13th
  • 25 Yards
  • Dual Meet Format

FINAL TEAM SCORES

  • CAL: 158.5
  • PACIFIC: 100.5

Half of the California men’s team headed to Stockton this weekend for a dual meet on Friday. While the rest of the team traveled to Salt Lake City for a meet against Utah, the Bears’ contingent in Stockton earned a victory over Pacific.

Andy Song and Matt Whittle picked up a pair of wins each, sweeping their stroke specialties. Song first stepped up for the 100 back, tying Pacific freshman Makoa Haneberg for the win in 50.11. He was dominant in the 200 back, winning in 1:49.12. Whittle used his back half speed to outpace teammate Zach Stevens (57.56) in the 100 breast, winning in 56.56. He then won the 200 breast by body lengths in 2:04.57.

Distance swimmer Ryan Kao, an NCAA qualifier last season, also won multiple individual events. He was the only man to break 1:50 in the 200 fly, winning in 1:49.22. Kao and fellow 2017 NCAA qualifier Ken Takahashi battled in the 500 free. Takahashi set the pace through the front half, but Kao turned on the gas to take over in the last 100. At the touch, Kao won with a 4:36.63 to Takahashi’s 4:36.96.

PRESS RELEASE – CAL:

STOCKTON, Calif. – Wins in 11 individual events got a busy weekend off to a good start for the Cal men’s swimming team as the Bears claimed victory in their first dual meet of the 2017-18 season with a 158.5-100.5 victory at Pacific.

With half the team headed to Salt Lake City for a Saturday dual against Utah, Cal took the other half of the roster to Stockton for some mid-day racing against the Tigers. Junior Ken Takahashi got the Bears started when it came to race wins, posting a time of 9:34.31 to take the 1,000-yard freestyle.

Jack Xie kept the Bears in the win column with a victory in the 200 free, leading a 1-2-3 Cal finish with a time of 1:41.24. Andy Song swam to a time of 50.11 to win the 100 back, Matt Whittle posted a time of 56.56 to win the 100 breast and Ryan Kao touched first in 1:49.22 for a victory in the 200 fly.

Pacific earned its first individual win of the day in the 50 freestyle but Cal came right back to win the 100 free as Kyle Coan led the field to the wall in 46.40. Song earned his second win of the day with a time of 1:49.12 in the 200 back and Whittle finished the breaststroke double, winning the 200 in 2:04.57.

Kao joined the two-win club with a narrow win over Takahashi in the 500 free and Xie did the same by claiming victory in the 100 fly. Takahashi wrapped up the day with a win in the 200 IM, finishing with a time of 1:54.29. Pacific claimed the final race of the day, winning the 400 free relay.

Cal will be back in action with an entirely new crew on Saturday as the Bears take on Utah at 1 p.m. (PT) in Salt Lake City. Several Cal swimmers return to action on Oct. 21 and 22 when they travel to Los Angeles to compete in the USA College Challenge and the full squad will take the pool again on Nov. 10 when Stanford visits Spieker Aquatics Complex for the annual Triple Distance Meet.

PRESS RELEASE – PACIFIC:

STOCKTON, Calif. – The Pacific men’s swimming team hosted California Friday afternoon for the two squads annual dual meet.

The nationally-ranked Golden Bears finished with a team score of 158.5, while the Tigers collected a score of 100.5.

The 200 Medley Relay and 400 Freestyle Relay teams highlighted the day for the Tigers as they claimed victories in both events. The Tigers 200 Medley Relay “A” team, which includes Makoa Haneberg, Yahav Shahaff, Mason Miller and Stewart Harrison, clocked a time of 1:30.72. Joining Harrison and Miller in the 400 Freestyle Relay were Dylan Toy and Miles MacKenzie. The foursome finished 1.43 seconds ahead of Cal’s “A” squad, clocking a time of 3:03.00.

Miller also had an oustanding individual showing for the Tigers, as he recorded a first place finish in the 50 Free (20.81) and a third place finish in the 100 Fly (50.18). Fellow newcomer, Niles Biolley, had two second place finishes as he posted times of 1:54.91 in the 200 IM and 1:52.48 in the 200 Back.

Makoa Haneberg was the only other individual to post a first place finish, tying Cal’s Andy Song with a time of 50.11 in the 100 Back. Harrison was second in the 50 Free with a time of 21.23 and was fifth overall in the 100 Fly (50.88).

In the 200 Free and the 500 Free, Michael Kang had Pacific’s top times. In the 200 Free Kang had a time of 1:44.29 to finish fourth overall and just one-hundreth of a second ahead of teammate Brandon Yong. Kang was third in the 500 Free with a time of 4:44.24.

Angel Alcala swam the 200 Fly in 1:51.50, besting four other Pacific swimmers. 2017 NCAA qualifier, Yahav Shahaf was fourth in the 100 Breast (58.07)

Brandon Brown and Nick Zachmeier represented the Tigers in the 1000 Free and came away with times of 10:06.03 and 10:47.49, respectively.

The men’s swimming and diving team will join the women at Cal State Bakersfield tomorrow for a 1:00 pm meet.

Make sure to follow Pacific swimming on Twitter with the username @PacTigersH2O and on Instagram at pacificswimteam.

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About Lauren Neidigh

Lauren Neidigh

Lauren Neidigh is a former NCAA swimmer at the University of Arizona (2013-2015) and the University of Florida (2011-2013). While her college swimming career left a bit to be desired, her Snapchat chin selfies and hot takes on Twitter do not disappoint. She's also a high school graduate of The …

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