The sixth-ranked University of California San Diego women’s swim team defeated No. 18 Cal State East Bay, 148-109, in a dual meet held under rainy conditions Friday afternoon at the Canyonview Aquatic Center.
The meeting with East Bay meant a rare opportunity again this year for UC San Diego to compete in long-course meters, as seen on the international and Olympic stages, as opposed to the standard short-course yards utilized in college.
With the victory, the Tritons improved to 3-2 on the dual season. The visiting Pioneers fell to 5-4. Friday marked the fourth dual matchup between the programs, all in La Jolla, with UCSD having also won the previous ones during the 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 seasons. The last three now have been contested long course.
Triton swimmers turned in the fastest marks in nine of the day’s 14 events.
Junior All-American Julia Toronczak (Santee/West Hills HS) was the lone winner of multiple individual events for the home side, comfortably sweeping the backstroke distances in 1:08.93 and 2:23.68. She also provided the 100-meter leadoff backstroke leg of the first-place 400 medley relay to kick off the meet, ahead of fellow junior Angie Phetbenjakul, sophomore transfer Amanda Sumrow (San Diego/Northern Arizona/Patrick Henry HS) and senior anchor Natalie Tang. The foursome timed 4:36.08 and led from start to finish.
Remaining first-place finishers for the Tritons were freshman Kaitlyn Ritchey in the 800 freestyle (9:44.72), Sumrow in the 200 butterfly (2:31.85), sophomore Lily Maxfield in the 200 breaststroke (2:48.12), freshman Casey Brothertonin the 400 free (4:42.27) and junior Jayna Wittenbrink in the 100 fly (1:06.61).
UCSD completed its sweep of the relays to end the afternoon, as Tang, Phetbenjakul, junior Sarah Yao and tri-captain Haley Murphy went 1:50.06 in the 200 free relay. With the outcome determined, the Tritons swam the final two events as exhibition.
Maximum points were earned in a trio of races. Ritchey led a 1-2-3 in the 800 ahead of juniors Haley Hamza(9:51.02) and Stephanie Sin (9:56.42). Then late in the meet to really clinch the result, Brotherton went 1-2-3 in the 400 with Hamza (4:48.31) and sophomore Reagan Eickert (4:48.65), followed immediately by Wittenbrink guiding sophomore Emily Lambert (1:09.16) and true freshman Brooke Miles (1:09.25) to a Triton whitewash in the 100 fly. Both of those 2-3 finishes were incredibly tight ones. Lambert was also second in the 200 fly in 2:33.52.
Morgan McClure was the only other double winner in individual events, as the Cal State East Bay junior handily took the 200 free (2:10.83) and the 200 individual medley (2:25.26). Claire Beaty, herself a junior, barely touched out Phetbenjakul, 1:18.88-1:19.07, in the 100 breast. Maxfield later avenged her teammate, holding off Beaty in the 200, 2:48.12-2:50.40.
Another close finish came in the 50 free, as sophomore Vivy Hua sprinted 28.09 for the Pioneers, just faster than Tang’s 28.12. Senior Madison Hauanio (1:00.88) was first in the 100 in front of Tang (1:01.37), as East Bay swept the sprints.
Anissa Barroso claimed a pair of runner-up placements behind McClure, in the 200 free (2:13.88) and the 200 IM (2:32.15), while another true Triton freshman, Elee Wong, was second behind Toronczak in the 100 back in 1:11.07.
The UCSD men’s and women’s swimmers and divers are done competing for the 2016 calendar year, but all will get right back into action to begin the new year on Monday, Jan. 2, and Tuesday, Jan. 3, with dual meets against multiple opponents visiting the Canyonview Aquatic Center. Those competitions are slated to begin at 2 p.m. and 12 p.m., respectively, with the latter one a women-only date. Admission and parking are free.
News courtesy of UC San Diego Athletics.
