NCAA Div. I Women: Cal Fights Off a Determined ASU

TEMPE, AZ., January 24 — The Bears roared and the Devils cowered. Well, not exactly. Actually, the Bears roared, then had to back it up with some hard-fought victories over a gutsy ASU Sun Devil team.

Cal coach Teri McKeever's No. 9-ranked Golden Bears' women's swimming team — (5-1, 1-0) — opened its 2003 Pac-10 slate in impressive fashion, winning nine events Friday to score a 166-131 dual-meet victory over Arizona State.

The meet was held at the Sun Devils' Mona Plummer Aquatic Center.

Cal junior Natalie Coughlin, a Sullivan Award finalist, led the Bears with three wins while froshwoman Helen Silver won a pair — her first collegiate titles.

Coughlin won the 100 (49.29) and 200 frees (1:47.88) and set Cal's fastest time of the season in the 200 IM with deceptive ease, coasting to an NCAA automatic qualifying mark of 2:00.62. Coughlin's pr here — in an event she has yet to swim at NCAAs — is 1:57.54, done against ASU exactly a year ago in Berkeley. That time is fastest-ever in a dual meet and ranks her as 10th-best performer all-time (34th-best performance).

Silver took first in both backstroke events, winning the 100 back in a seasonal-best 56.58 and the 200 back in 2:01.10.

Senior Staciana Stitts, a Sydney Olympian, was also impressive, posting Cal's best seasonal mark in her 100 breast (1:01.27) victory — fourth-fastest nationally. She also finished in runner-up in the 200 breast (2:15.73) to ASU's Agnes Kovacs, defending Olympic and World Champion.

Sophomore Lisa Morelli and frosh Flora Kong — a product of Coach Dave Salo's Irvine Novaquatics' program who was on Irvine High's national prep record-setting 200 medley foursome last season — rounded out the Bears' winners; Morelli took first in the 200 fly (2:04.45), while Kong won the 100 (56.22).

Cal's 200 medley relay team of Coughlin, Stitts, Kong and junior Danielle Becks won in 1:41.47. Several other Bears swam well, as sophomore Lauren Medina placed second in both the 200 free (1;50.43) and 500 free (4:59.12). Becks also tallied runner-up finishes, coming in second in the 50 free (23.66) and 100 free (50.89).

On the diving side, sophomore Alyson Borawski finished second in the one-meter competition (226.40) and third in the three-meter event (236.40).

ASU notched some impressive victories headed by Agnes Kovacs' back-half triump in the 200 breast (2:12.24).

Sophomore Trisha Tumlinson swept both diving events.

Freshmen Kathryn Hennessy and Sandra Steffensen took the distance free contests, with Hennessy clocking 10:06.94 for the 1000 and Steffensen touching in 4:55.97 for the 500.

Senior Claire Hedenskog won a close 50 free in 23.58 and the ASU 400 free relay closed the meet with a 3:29.29 winning effort.

The Bears now head to Tucson to take on Arizona Saturday, Jan. 25 at 1 PM Coah Frank Busch's Arizona Wildcats scored an impressive victory over Stanford Friday afternoon at their home Hillenbrand Aquatic Cengter pool, and it will be interesting to see if that momentum holds against Da Bears.

NCAA DIVISION 1 WOMEN'S DUAL MEET
CAL VS. AIZONA STATE
MONA PLUMMER AQUATIC CENTER
TEMPE, AZ.
JAN. 24, 2002

25 YD. POOL

FINAL SCORE: Cal 166, Arizona St., 131

RESULTS

Event 1 Women 200 Yard Medley Relay
===============================================================================
School Seed Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 University of California 'A' NT 1:41.47 11
1) Coughlin, Natalie JR 2) Stitts, Staciana SR
3) Kong, Flora FR 4) Becks, Danielle JR
25.07 27.75 25.39 23.26
2 Arizona State 'A' NT 1:43.99 4
1) Szigeti, Florencia SO 2) Kovács, Ágnes SO
3) Mauro, Florence JR 4) Hedenskog, Claire SR
26.82 28.98 25.24 22.95
3 University of California 'B' NT 1:45.48 2
1) Silver, Helen FR 2) Rockwell, Whitney FR
3) Griffith, Natalie JR 4) Harper, Michelle SR
26.79 30.08 25.40 23.21
4 Arizona State 'B' NT 1:46.81
1) Baldinger, Erin FR 2) Jedick, Josie SR
3) Fischer, Sarah SO 4) Ullrich, Laura FR
27.55 30.13 25.39 23.74
5 University of California 'C' NT x1:48.43
1) Ng, Amy SO 2) Miller, Marcelle SO
3) Palsson, Emma SO 4) Amano, Keiko SO
28.27 30.09 25.70 24.37

Event 2 Women 1000 Yard Freestyle
===============================================================================
Name Year School Seed Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Hennessy, Kathryn FR Arizona State NT 10:06.94 9
28.09 29.85 30.24 30.36 30.42 30.34 30.38 30.39
30.37 30.56 30.45 30.41 30.71 30.82 30.49 30.72
30.55 30.84 30.58 30.37
2 Banovic, Petra JR Arizona State NT 10:08.80 4
28.49 30.06 30.23 30.32 30.00 30.21 30.17 30.51
30.55 30.41 30.31 30.27 30.49 30.52 30.94 31.01
31.17 31.22 31.68 30.24
3 Tiedeman, Kate FR California NT 10:09.82 3
27.96 29.62 30.18 30.33 30.36 30.30 30.51 30.68
30.83 30.66 30.44 30.81 30.90 30.90 31.29 31.17
31.07 31.58 30.37 29.86
4 Morelli, Lisa SO California NT 10:13.73 2
28.37 29.97 30.09 30.46 30.31 30.48 30.38 30.62
30.71 31.10 31.24 31.06 31.20 31.11 31.25 31.20
31.15 31.34 31.32 30.37
5 Chandler, Ashley FR California NT 10:24.97 1
27.62 29.66 30.06 30.21 30.43 30.53 30.64 30.87
31.38 31.53 31.91 32.17 32.05 32.13 32.62 32.22
32.72 32.48 32.20 31.54
6 Johnson, Karyl SR Arizona State NT 10:44.48
29.29 31.55 32.17 32.26 32.58 32.33 32.50 32.55
32.38 32.72 32.53 32.68 32.67 32.41 32.72 32.64
32.62 32.41 32.34 31.13

Event 3 Women 200 Yard Freestyle
===============================================================================
Name Year School Seed Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Coughlin, Natalie JR California NT 1:47.88 9
25.71 26.95 27.66 27.56
2 Medina, Lauren SO California NT 1:50.43 4
25.72 27.57 28.42 28.72
3 Steffensen, Sandra FR Arizona State NT 1:52.60 3
26.73 28.48 28.82 28.57
4 Szigeti, Florencia SO Arizona State NT 1:53.46 2
26.54 28.79 28.82 29.31
5 Bingaman, Cheryl A FR California NT 1:53.60 1
25.14 28.02 29.94 30.50
6 Amano, Keiko SO California NT x1:56.59
27.23 29.61 29.99 29.76
7 Chang, Julie FR Arizona State NT 2:00.86
27.39 30.84 31.57 31.06

Event 4 Women 100 Yard Backstroke
===============================================================================
Name Year School Seed Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Silver, Helen FR California NT 56.58 9
27.47 29.11
2 Baldinger, Erin FR Arizona State NT 58.76 4
28.79 29.97
3 Ng, Amy SO California NT 58.99 3
28.93 30.06
4 Tiedeman, Kate FR California NT 1:00.23 2
29.62 30.61
5 Lees, Jen FR Arizona State NT 1:03.45 1
30.36 33.09

Event 5 Women 100 Yard Breaststroke
===============================================================================
Name Year School Seed Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Stitts, Staciana SR California NT 1:01.27 9
14.03 47.24
2 Kovács, Ágnes SO Arizona State NT 1:02.55 4
15.22 47.33
3 Miller, Marcelle SO California NT 1:05.04 3
16.31 48.73
4 Griffith, Natalie JR California NT 1:05.07 2
16.47 48.60
5 Rockwell, Whitney FR California NT x1:06.33
16.24 50.09
6 Jedick, Josie SR Arizona State NT 1:06.46 1
17.50 48.96
7 Caples, Courtney JR Arizona State NT 1:07.58
17.01 50.57
8 Patterson, Brianna JR Arizona State NT x1:07.82
17.61 50.21

Event 6 Women 200 Yard Butterfly
===============================================================================
Name Year School Seed Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Morelli, Lisa SO California NT 2:04.45 9
27.87 31.23 31.98 33.37
2 Kong, Flora FR California NT 2:05.93 4
26.87 30.34 32.52 36.20
3 Banovic, Petra JR Arizona State NT 2:06.47 3
28.66 32.34 32.72 32.75
4 Titcomb, Katie SR Arizona State NT 2:06.71 2
29.20 31.84 32.72 32.95
5 Rais, Jenna SO California NT 2:07.63 1
29.45 32.60 32.45 33.13
6 Bartlett, Melissa JR Arizona State NT 2:09.84
30.02 33.18 33.57 33.07
7 Chandler, Ashley FR California NT x2:09.86
29.16 32.21 33.50 34.99

Event 7 Women 50 Yard Freestyle
===============================================================================
Name Year School Seed Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Hedenskog, Claire SR Arizona State NT 23.49 9
2 Becks, Danielle JR California NT 23.66 4
3 Harper, Michelle SR California NT 23.77 3
4 Rockwell, Whitney FR California NT 23.86 2
5 Mauro, Florence JR Arizona State NT 24.46 1
6 Fischer, Sarah SO Arizona State NT 24.50
7 Palsson, Emma SO California NT x24.54
8 Ullrich, Laura FR Arizona State NT x24.90

Event 8 Women 100 Yard Freestyle
===============================================================================
Name Year School Seed Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Coughlin, Natalie JR California NT 49.29 9
23.87 25.42
2 Becks, Danielle JR California NT 50.89 4
24.61 26.28
3 Hedenskog, Claire SR Arizona State NT 50.90 3
49.15 1.75
4 Bingaman, Cheryl A FR California NT 51.83 2
25.12 26.71
5 Szigeti, Florencia SO Arizona State NT 52.74 1
25.40 27.34
6 Amano, Keiko SO California NT x53.20
25.77 27.43
7 Steffensen, Sandra FR Arizona State NT 53.45
25.84 27.61
8 Chang, Julie FR Arizona State NT x55.27
26.43 28.84

Event 9 Women 200 Yard Breaststroke
===============================================================================
Name Year School Seed Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Kovács, Ágnes SO Arizona State NT 2:12.24 9
30.56 33.61 33.85 34.22
2 Stitts, Staciana SR California NT 2:15.73 4
30.14 33.70 34.96 36.93
3 Miller, Marcelle SO California NT 2:18.91 3
32.07 34.86 35.86 36.12
4 Jedick, Josie SR Arizona State NT 2:23.17 2
32.75 37.33 36.44 36.65
5 Rais, Jenna SO California NT 2:23.95 1
34.67 36.70 36.18 36.40
6 Patterson, Brianna JR Arizona State NT 2:24.67
33.38 36.71 37.34 37.24
7 Johnson, Karyl SR Arizona State NT x2:27.34
33.39 37.05 38.18 38.72

Event 11 Women 500 Yard Freestyle
===============================================================================
Name Year School Seed Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Steffensen, Sandra FR Arizona State NT 4:55.97 9
27.58 29.46 29.93 30.20 29.95 29.88 29.79 30.01
29.94 29.23
2 Medina, Lauren SO California NT 4:59.12 4
26.73 29.38 30.32 30.84 30.63 30.11 30.28 30.57
30.57 29.69
3 Chandler, Ashley FR California NT 4:59.39 3
27.43 29.64 29.92 29.98 30.08 30.30 30.29 30.94
30.88 29.93
4 Tiedeman, Kate FR California NT 5:00.87 2
27.79 29.75 30.05 30.15 30.49 30.58 30.67 30.65
30.73 30.01
5 Banovic, Petra JR Arizona State NT 5:04.32 1
28.77 30.26 30.60 30.58 30.56 30.73 30.52 30.87
30.81 30.62
6 Hennessy, Kathryn FR Arizona State NT 5:07.53
28.60 30.99 31.20 31.05 30.99 30.99 31.16 30.92
31.13 30.50
7 Titcomb, Katie SR Arizona State NT x5:07.98
29.52 30.81 30.99 31.09 31.09 31.20 31.18 31.17
31.09 29.84
8 Rais, Jenna SO California NT x5:20.14
29.61 31.54 31.76 32.15 31.93 32.52 32.75 32.71
32.98 32.19

Event 12 Women 100 Yard Butterfly
===============================================================================
Name Year School Seed Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Kong, Flora FR California NT 56.22 9
26.38 29.84
2 Griffith, Natalie JR California NT 56.76 4
26.61 30.15
3 Fischer, Sarah SO Arizona State NT 57.54 3
26.57 30.97
4 Mauro, Florence JR Arizona State NT 58.09 2
27.02 31.07
5 Palsson, Emma SO California NT 58.17 1
27.09 31.08
6 Amano, Keiko SO California NT x58.52
27.99 30.53
7 Ullrich, Laura FR Arizona State NT 59.92
28.01 31.91

Event 13 Women 200 Yard IM
===============================================================================
Name Year School Seed Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Coughlin, Natalie JR California NT 2:00.62 9
26.46 30.57 35.36 28.23
2 Kovács, Ágnes SO Arizona State NT 2:03.21 4
27.18 32.59 33.86 29.58
3 Patterson, Brianna JR Arizona State NT 2:09.91 3
28.92 34.18 36.64 30.17
4 Bartlett, Melissa JR Arizona State NT 2:10.88 2
29.76 33.97 37.21 29.94
5 Jedick, Josie SR Arizona State NT x2:14.76
30.17 35.02 37.81 31.76
— Griffith, Natalie JR California NT X2:04.75
27.39 32.09 36.16 29.11
— Ng, Amy SO California NT X2:07.15
28.35 31.85 37.55 29.40
— Silver, Helen FR California NT X2:10.09
28.19 32.42 39.50 29.98

Event 14 Women 400 Yard Freestyle Relay
===============================================================================
School Seed Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Arizona State 'A' NT 3:29.24 11
1) Banovic, Petra JR 2) Steffensen, Sandra FR
3) Szigeti, Florencia SO 4) Hedenskog, Claire SR
25.63 52.76 25.51 53.68 24.49 51.42 23.84 51.38
2 University of California 'A' NT 3:32.70 4
1) Bingaman, Cheryl Anne FR 2) Kong, Flora FR
3) Palsson, Emma SO 4) Rockwell, Whitney FR
25.25 52.36 25.46 53.18 25.34 53.36 24.59 53.80
3 Arizona State 'B' NT 3:36.80 2
1) Baldinger, Erin FR 2) Fischer, Sarah SO
3) Ullrich, Laura FR 4) Chang, Julie FR
26.25 54.69 25.48 54.02 26.00 54.08 25.43 54.01

Event 15 Women 1 mtr Diving
===============================================================================
Name Year School Seed Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Tumlinson, Trisha SO Arizona State NT 296.70 9
2 Borawski, Alyson SO California NT 226.50 4
3 Zukowski, Nicole SO Arizona State NT 218.55 3
4 Stenson, Jessica JR Arizona State NT 199.73 2

Event 36 Women 3 mtr Diving
===============================================================================
Name Year School Seed Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Tumlinson, Trisha SO Arizona State NT 309.68 9
2 Stenson, Jessica JR Arizona State NT 276.23 4
3 Borawski, Alyson SO California NT 236.40 3
4 Zukowski, Nicole SO Arizona State NT 175.65 2

Stacianna Stitts

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