The Cal women’s swimming and diving team beat Washington State at home on Thursday as the Golden Bear underclassmen shined for Cal in taking a Pac-12 win.
Team Scores:
- Cal 172, Washington State 84
Cal Women’s Swimming and Diving Press Release
Home opening meets are always special, especially for freshmen who are competing in front of their family and friends as collegians for the first time. And Thursday was no exception for Cal’s contingent of newcomers, especially for Ayla Spitz and Rachel Klinker, who combined for three individual wins in a 172-84 victory over Washington State at Spieker Aquatics Complex.
Spitz, a rookie from Newport Beach, claimed the 200-yard free, while Klinker, who hails from Lexington, Kentucky, placed first in both the 100 and 200 butterfly. Sophomore Ema Rajic (100 and 200 breaststroke) and junior Robin Neumann (100 and 1000 free) also won twice, as the Golden Bears swept all 14 events.
“It was so exciting,” Spitz said. “The atmosphere was great. There was super-high energy, unlike any other meet I’ve done.”
Added Klinker: “This was our third meet of the year, and I was so happy to finally have a meet here at home and represent the blue and gold.”
Cal kicked off the afternoon with a sweep of the 200 medley relay, as Courtney Mykkanen, Rajic, Abbey Weitzeil and Emma Davidson touched first in 1:41.21. Neumann then stretched her normal routine to the 1000 free and claimed first in 10:11.19. Spitz followed with her victory in the 200 free in 1:49.07, a more than one-second improvement over her result in Fresno two weeks ago.
Klinker later won the 200 fly in 1:59.17 and, swimming out of lane one, the 100 fly in 55.07.
“I was ecstatic,” Klinker said. “I wanted to do well today, but I didn’t expect myself to do that well. It was a pleasant surprise. It makes sense after all the hard work we’ve been putting in this past month. We have a lot of work ahead, but I’m very happy with what I did today.”
Other winners for the Bears on the afternoon were: Sophie Krivokapic-Zhou (100 back, 54.63), Rajic (100 breast, 1:02.19; 200 breast, 2:13.80), Maddie Murphy (50 free, 23.39), Neumann in the 100 free (50.74), Isabel Ivey (200 back, 1:58.35), Weitzeil (500 free, 4:47.49) and Sarah Darcel (200 IM, 2:02.99). Krivokapic-Zhou, Rajic, Alicia Wilson and Weitzeil comprised the victorious 400 free relay (3:24.31).
Washington State Press Release
WSU traveled to Berkeley Calif. to take on the Bears, where Cal took home the victory. The next time the Cougars will be in the pool will be Nov. 8-9 when they compete against Wyoming and Colorado State in Larmie, Wyoming.
It was a day of new personal best times, juniors Maia Petrides in the 100 free, and the 200 free, and Mackenzie Duarte in the 100 breast and the 200 breast. Sophomores Lauren Burckel, Emily Barrier and Paige Gardner joined the party with new personal best times in their events. Burckel posted a personal best time in the 200 breast, Barrier shaved three seconds off her personal best time in the 100 fly and Gardner secured a personal time in the 50 free.
The Cougars freshman swam strong again today Michee Van Rooyen posted a personal best time in the 1000 free which beat her time from yesterday, and shaved three seconds off her swim time from yesterday in the 500 free to notch another personal best time. In the 200 IM Mia Zahab shaved five seconds off her personal best.
Senior Ryan Falk produced a second place win in the 500 free and then took home a second place win in the 1000 free to secure a new personal best time. Junior Taylor McCoy joined the fun with a second place win in the 200 back and Kate Laderoute with a third place finish.
“I think our energy today was better, we came out and swam aggressive” said head Coach Matt Leach “We are excited with where we are going and we will continue to work hard on the little things.”
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