W. swimming: Swim team aims to drown USC
By David Graham-Caso
Feb. 12, 2004 9:00 p.m.
Speeding down the home stretch of the 2003-2004 swimming and
diving season could not be more exciting for the UCLA team. Coach
Cyndi Gallagher’s Bruins (7-2, 4-2 Pac-10) have already
proven themselves against some of the top competition in the
country, with an upset victory against No. 3 Stanford on Jan. 30
and a win at the Texas A&M Invitational in December.
Now, in the team’s final home dual meet of the season
““ its final chance to prepare for the defense its 2003 Pac-10
tournament title ““ No. 9 UCLA gets to face off against its
archrival, No. 8 USC. The Trojans have won the last 10 matchups
between the two teams.
“There is a lot of Bruin pride involved in winning this
meet,” Gallagher said. “We know it is not only a big
meet for us, but beating ‘SC is big for our alumni, our
athletic department and our school. We know how big this meet
is.”
Recent history is not exactly on the Bruins’ side. The
swim and dive squad is only 13-15 against the Trojans since 1975,
and recent history is even more bleak. But history is not much of a
concern for Gallagher.
“We are a better team than I have had in a long
time,” Gallagher said. “We are swimming really well
right now.”
A win against ‘SC would be a gigantic morale boost for
UCLA as they prepare to enter the Pac-10 Championships on Feb. 25.
In 2003, the Bruins went into the Pac-10 championships with a 2-4
conference record; They won the tournament. This year, UCLA will
come in as a far better team, and a win against USC would do more
than merely improve the Bruins’ record. A second upset of a
highly-ranked team would also greatly improve their confidence.
In the win over Stanford, UCLA received a major boost from the
dive team, which outscored Stanford 21-17. If they are to upset the
Trojans, the Bruins will again need a first-rate performance from
sophomore Sara Clark, who won the three-meter platform against
Stanford.
“I don’t think that we have to do anything different
than what we have done so far this season,” diving coach Tom
Stebbins said. “I am really pleased with how we have been
training lately, and I am excited to go at it and duke it out with
USC.”
The Bruins have recently enjoyed an appropriate atmosphere for a
home swim meet. In past years, sparse crowds have watched UCLA
compete at the Sunset Recreation Center, a lackluster venue for
competition. In 2004, the Bruins have competed at the Student
Activities Center pool, a more cozy setting that fills up for big
meets.
“Finally,” Gallagher said. “After so many
years, we have a real home-pool advantage.”
The Trojans may soon find out how loud a home-pool advantage can
be.
