ASU Women Upset UCLA, Sun Devil Men Defeat SoCal All-Stars

TEMPE, Ariz., Nov. 17. ARIZONA State's 11th-ranked women's swimming and diving team upset 10th-ranked UCLA, 166-134, while also defeating the exhibition SoCal All-Stars 226-68, to open up their Pac-10 Conference schedule at Mona Plummer Aquatic Center in Tempe, Ariz., Friday.

With the win over the Bruins the Sun Devils move to 3-0 on the season, as UCLA drops to 4-1. Avenging a 61-point loss last season, the ASU women have now defeated UCLA in three out of their last five
meetings dating back to 1997, plus a tie in 1998.

Once again, the Sun Devils were led by freshman Ágnes Kovács, who was a three-event winner for the third time this season, improving her collegiate bests in each event. Kovács' afternoon began with the 100-yard breaststroke, where she touched the wall first in an NCAA 'A' qualifying time of 1:01.41. She then won the 200y breast in 2:11.07, another NCAA 'A' time and the nation's fastest collegiate time this season. Although both times were an improvement, Kovács did not approach Beata Kaszuba's 1995 school records of 59.71 and 2:09.71, respectively, and will have to settle for being No. 2 in ASU history in those events for at least a while longer.

Kovács did move up the ASU all-time list in the 200y individual medley, with an NCAA 'B' qualifying time of 2:01.87, which is good enough for fourth all-time, just behind Chris Jeffrey's 1993 effort of 2:01.27.

Impressive as she was, Kovács wasn't the Sun Devils' only star, Friday. Freshman Florencia Szigeti earned two NCAA 'B' times, placing first in the 200y freestyle in 1:49.12, and taking second-place points in the 100y free in 50.68, just behind UCLA's Sara Platzer in 50.37. Both of Szigeti's efforts moved her into ASU all-time top-10 lists, now ranking eighth in the 200y free and seventh in the 100y free.

Sophomore Miranda Shald and senior Sarah Baham, ASU's school record holders in the 100y backstroke and 100y and 200y butterfly, respectively, didn't see personal bests today, but did earn NCAA consideration. Shald won the 100y back in 56.02, while Baham took first in both the 100y fly (55.66) and 200y fly (2:01.13), all of which were NCAA 'B' times.

In the distance events, ASU was paced by senior Amanda Stanford and sophomore Brooke Townsend. Stanford led the way in the 1000y free, with a time of 10:00.80, making her the ninth-fastest swimmer in school history in that event, while Townsend finished second overall
in 10:04.99. Then, in the 500y free, Townsend finished first as the duo again captured the top two spots, this time in NCAA 'B' times of 4:54.23 and 4:55.30, respectively.

On a day that began with ASU's 200 medley relay team of Shald, Kovács, Baham and junior Claire Hedenskog swimming to victory in 1:42.64, an NCAA 'B' qualifier and the second-fastest time in school history, ASU finished with first-place points in 11 of 16 events.

The Bruins, who earned an exhibition win over the SoCal All-Stars, 197-97, were led by sophomore Platzer, who placed first in the 50y free (23.31) and the 100y free (50.37), both of which are NCAA 'B'
times.

The Sun Devils have little time to rest as they will attempt to upset No. 3 USC for the first time since 1992, tomorrow at noon, at Mona Plummer Aquatic Center.

Taking first-place points in all but one event, the
13th-ranked ASU men's swimming team (2-0) defeated the
SoCal All-Stars team 149-56, at Mona Plummer Aquatic Center in Tempe, Ariz., Friday.

Among those with strong performances was senior Gavin Meadows, who picked up wins in both the 1000-yard freestyle and the 100y free with times of 9:29.56 and 45.71, respectively. In both events Meadows finished just ahead of his own teammates, besting Rich Jacobs'
second-place effort in the 1000 (9:31.14), and Mark Hill's second-best time of in the 100 (46.53).

In the 200y free, sophomore Nick Brunelli (1:40.10) and junior Justin Mathias (1:42.18) finished one-two, while junior Anders Lyrbring (4:37.15) and senior Bo West (4:37.86) finished atop a Sun Devil contingent that swept the first four places of the 500y free.

Other ASU individual winners on the day were sophomore Wiley Wallace in the 50y free (21.23), freshman Bobby Crowder (1:54.97) in the 200y individual medley, senior Simon MacDonald in the 100y butterfly (52.04) and junior Christian Harcsas in the 100y backstroke (50.03).

The Sun Devils were also victorious in both relays, taking the 200y medley variety in 1:32.36 to begin the meet, and then finishing things off with a 1:22.85 in the 200y free relay.

Although all the times are legal collegiate efforts, the dual against the SoCal All-Stars will not be figured into ASU's regular season record.

Tomorrow the Sun Devils get right back to it when No. 4 USC comes to town to kickoff the men's Pac-10 schedule at noon. Admission is free to all ASU meets at Mona Plummer Aquatic Center.

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