Swim team to face USC in final dual meet
By Chris Chen
Feb. 11, 2009 10:37 p.m.
Dropping three consecutive Pac-10 dual meets wasn’t what the UCLA women’s swim and dive team wanted as they entered the final phase of the season.
But what remains is an all-important dual meet heading into the postseason.
The team’s roller coaster of a conference season will conclude Friday as the Bruins head east to face USC at their McDonald’s Swim Stadium.
Coach Cyndi Gallagher feels that regardless of the emotionally charged atmosphere, the swimmers must compete within themselves.
“We’re still swimming four laps of the pool, we still have the same job to do, so it doesn’t matter who you’re swimming against,” she said. “You still have to swim fast and do your best.”
The Bruins hold an overall record of 4-4, while tallying a couple of wins against four losses in the always-competitive Pac-10. Practice this week focused on repetition and refining technique.
“We’re just trying to get sharp, get quick and work on everything that they’ve learned all year,” Gallagher said.
Relays ““ an area where the team has had its struggles this season ““ seem to be an advantage that the Trojans (5-1, 4-1 Pac-10) would like to capitalize on.
Last weekend, USC swept the opening 400 medley relay en route to a 152.5-147.5 upset of No. 4 Cal.
Two years ago, the meet came down to the last relay, and senior diver Marisa Samaniego feels that the margin tomorrow will be just as small.
“Every point is going to count,” Samaniego said.
The Trojans are led by three-time Olympic medalist and senior captain Rebecca Soni, who took the Olympic gold in the 200 breast and finished with a world record time of 2:20.22 in Beijing.
“This rivalry brings out the best of class, competitive spirit and Bruin pride,” Gallagher said. “But this is just a step in the journey ““ we just need to take advantage of the moment.”
USC also boasts a senior sprinter in Kristen Lahey, a returning All-American, the Trojans’ record holder in the 100 back and a solid contributor on the Trojan relay team.
“We need to be in control of how we feel and then execute at our highest level ““ that is what good performance is all about,” said UCLA dive coach Tom Stebbins.
The Women of Troy also have one of the top freshmen divers in the country in Victoria Ishimatsu. Validating her status as a qualifier for the U.S. Diving Olympic Selection Camp, Ishimatsu finished first on the 3M against Stanford, while easily taking first on both the 1M and 3M against Cal.
“We know that they have some strong divers, but we just need to stick to what we are doing and we’ll be able to come out with a win,” UCLA senior diver Tess Schofield said.
