USC
California
USC Falls To Cal, 162-138
January 27, 2012 | Women's Swimming & Diving
Jan. 27, 2012
Senior Katinka Hosszu, junior Haley Anderson and senior diver Victoria Ishimatsu won two events apiece, but it wasn't quite enough as the No. 1 Cal women's swimming and diving team defeated No. 7 USC, 162-138, at the USC McDonald's Swim Stadium on Friday (Jan. 27).
Cal, the defending NCAA champion which moved to No. 1 in the CSCAA Top 25 poll released Wednesday, improved to 6-0 overall and 6-0 in the Pac-12. The Trojans (ranked No. 3 in the previous poll) dropped to 5-1, 4-1, and the loss snapped their two-meet win streak over the Bears.
USC opened the meet with a win in the 200y medley relay as junior Yumi So, sophomore Kasey Carlson, Hosszu and junior Christel Simms held off a charging Bears team of Cindy Tran, Caitlin Leverenz, Colleen Fotsch and Katherine Raatz to win in 1:40.28. The Bears' finished second in 1:40.50.
Trojan junior Haley Anderson, the Pac-12's top distance swimmer, won the first individual event, dominating the 1000y free with a 9:43.48, just off the 1984 pool record of 9:42.80. Bear freshman Catherine Breed was second (9:51.26) while Trojan sophomore Lynette Lim was third (9:57.99).
Cal senior Liv Jensen, one of the top sprinters in the nation, stretched a bit to win the 200y free in 1:46.40, withstanding a late charge from Hosszu, who closed most of a body-length disadvantage with 50 yards to go to finish in 1:46.50. Bear senior Sara Isakovic was third (1:47.11) while Trojan sophomore Meghan Hawthorne took fourth (1:48.46).
Tran won a tight 100y back for the Bears in 53.90 while teammate Stephanie Au took second in 54.21. So was third for the Trojans in 54.28 and Simms was fourth (55.33).
Carlson, who entered the meet with the nation's top time in the 100y breast, won the event in 1:02.28, edging Cal freshman Yvette Kong (1:02.61). Trojan junior Jessica Schmitt finished third (1:03.17), just ahead of Bear sophomore Melissa Bates (1:03.31).
Leverenz, second in the nation in the 200y fly, won the race in 1:56.56. The Trojans, swimming the event without Hosszu (the nation's leader in the event), were paced by senior Tanya Krisman, who was second in 1:58.13. Raatz claimed third for the Bears in 2:00.82 while Trojan senior Amanda Smith was fourth (2:01.27).
Cal swept the top four spots in the 50y free led by Jensen's 22.52 while her freshman teammate Kaylin Bing took second (23.50). Junior Lindsay Parrish was USC's top finisher in fifth (24.10).
In the diving well, Ishimatsu took first on 3-meter with 361.50 points, well ahead of Cal's second-place Kahley Rowell (295.35). Ishimatsu later came back to win the 1-meter with 319.05. Cal's Molly Hayes was second (295.98).
Jensen won her second event, the 100y free, in 49.01 with Isakovuc in second (50.00) and Cheng third (50.65) for a Bear sweep. Carlson led USC finishers in fourth (50.67).
Hosszu, who almost pulled off a big comeback in the 200y free, did just that in the 200y back, coming from behind to win in 1:57.06, making up more than two seconds over the final 50. Au was second for the Bears in 1:58.50 while Bear Melanie Klaren was third (1:58.62). Hawthorne took fourth for the Trojans (2:00.43).
Leverenz, the top-ranked woman in the 200y breast, won in 2:11.06 while the Trojans' Schmitt (2:14.23) and Danny (2:15.81) were second and third.
Anderson next won the 500y free in 4:45.11, controlling the race just as she did in the 1000y free. Breed was second again in 4:48.15 while Lim took third (4:51.22).
After 50 yards of the 100y fly, Cal held the top four spots. USC's So and Krisman made a big back-half charge to challenge for first, but Isakovic had enough left to touch first in 54.19. So finished second in 54.39 while Krisman was third (54.61).
It's hard to pin down Hosszu's signature event, but it's probably the 400y IM. That said, she trailed Cal stalwart Leverenz on Friday heading into the final 50 yards before coming back to win in 4:05.83. Leverenz touched in 4:06.08. USC's Stina Gardell was well back of the pair, taking third in 4:14.74.
The Bears's 400y free relay of Raatz, Caroline Piehl, Cheng and Jensen won in 3:19.70. USC's `A' unit of Simms, Carlson, Anderson and Smith were second in 3:23.00.
USC, in its final women's home meet of the season, hosts No. 8 Stanford on Saturday at noon. The Cardinal improved to 7-1 Friday with at win at UCLA.
Players Mentioned
