USC vs. California

BERKELEY, California, January 30. THE USC Trojans escaped Spieker Aquatics Complex with a 135.50-126.50 dual meet victory over California in Pac-10 women's swimming action on Friday afternoon.

Cal (3-3, 2-2 Pac-10) returns to the pool on Saturday for dual meet action when it hosts UCLA at Noon.

USC opened the meet with victories in the 400-yard medley relay and the 1000-yard freestyle events. The Trojan foursome of Kristen Lahey Rebecca Soni, Tanya Krisman and Rachael Waller recorded a winning time of 3:37.01 – a Spieker record. Cal's quartet of Lauren Rogers, Alexandra Ellis, Dana Vollmer and Erica Dagg placed second with a time of 3:41.42.

It was the tightest of races in the 1000 free as USC's Katinka Hosszu and Cal's Lauren Boyle distinguished themselves from the rest of the field for a neck and neck battle all the way. But it was Hosszu who had one late burst in the final 50 yards to claim a winning time of 9:43.61 – a Spieker record. Boyle touched the wall at 9:45.36 – a season-best. Blake Hayter registered a fourth place showing with a season-best time of 10:04.76.

The Golden Bears got right back into the competition with a 1-2-3 sweep in the 200-yard freestyle. Madison Kennedy paced Cal with a first-place and season-best time of 1:47.84. Liv Jensen followed with a 1:48.27 and Hannah Wilson with a 1:48.98.

In the 100-yard backstroke, USC's Lahey held off Cal's Rogers (54.09) for first place with a time of 53.44. Cal newcomer Mary Beck (joined the team after the semester break) placed fourth with a 55.52.

The Bears picked up some steam later in the meet with 1-2-3 sweeps in the 50 and 100-yard freestyle events. Jensen took home first place in the 50 free with a time of 22.85, followed by Kennedy (23.14) and Wilson (23.38). In the 100 free, Kennedy clocked a first-place time of 49.85, followed by Jensen (50.18) and Dagg (50.36).

In the 200-yard backstroke, Beck and USC's Dina Hegazy touched the wall at the same time (1:58.31) to split a first place finish. Rogers placed third with a time of 2:00.04.

It was another neck and neck battle between Hosszu and Boyle in the 500-yard freestyle, with Hosszu again prevailing by the slimmest of margins with a time of 4:46.81 to Boyle's 4:47.95.

Vollmer displayed her dominance in the 100-yard butterfly with a winning time of 53.27, followed by teammate Amanda Sims who clocked a 54.54. Wilson had a fourth place showing with a time of 54.77.

In the final event of the afternoon, Cal's foursome of Tara Thomas, Sims, Wilson and Kennedy nearly set a Spieker record in the 200-yard free relay with a first-place time of 1:32.54 (record is 1.32.39).

In diving action, Molly Hayes finished second on the 3-meter board with a total score of 273.60, while Alissa Barker placed third with a score of 264.15. On the 1-meter board, Hayes took second with a score of 272.62.

Special thanks to California for contributing this report.

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