San Diego State Swimming Races by Nevada, Rice

Photo Credit: Stan Liu

SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State swimming and diving team recorded two dual meet victories Friday night at the Aztec Aquaplex, topping Nevada (132-112) and Rice (140-104) in a double dual meet. Nevada split its dual meet matchups, downing Rice 158-92. Anika Apostalon, Summer Harrison and Alexandra Caplan each set individual pool records to lead the Aztecs.

San Diego State Press Release

San Diego state recorded a pair of dual meet victories on Friday as it defeated Nevada (132-112) and Rice (140-104) in a double dual meet at the Aztec Aquaplex. SDSU won seven of the 12 individual swimming races plus both relays and set three pool records over the course of the meet while improving to 16-0 on the season.

The Aztecs opened the completion by capturing the 200 medley relay in a time of 1:43.48. The foursome of Anika Apostalon, Laura Day, Summer Harrison and Chelsea Bailey turned in the second-fastest time ever at the Aquaplex to get the meet started.

Apostalon would go on to win the 100 freestyle in 49.74 and the 100 backstroke in 55.92. Her time in the 100 free established a new pool record, breaking the mark of 49.88 she set at the facility last season.

Harrison also set a pool record when she won the 100 butterfly in 55.10. She had set the previous record of 55.20 just two weeks ago in the meet against Air Force, Incarnate Word and UC San Diego on December 29.

In addition to Apostalon, junior Natilee Ruiz and sophomore Frida Berggren both had a pair of first-place finishes in individual races. Ruiz captured the 200 backstroke in 2:01.84 and won the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:50.17. Those marks rank fourth and fifth respectively for the Aquaplex.

Berggren, meanwhile, won the 200 butterfly in 2:02.81 and the 500 freestyle in 5:01.61. Her time in the 200 fly was the third-fastest ever at the Aztec Aquaplex.

Other individual race winners for San Diego State included Bailey in the 50 freestyle where she turned in a time of 23.28. That mark equaled her own best time at the facility and ranks second in pool history.

In the 400 freestyle relay it was the quartet of Apostalon, Bailey, Savannah Miller and Whitney Weisz that took first with a time of 3:27.16. That time ranks third on the all-time best marks at the Aquaplex.

On the diving side, San Diego State was the only team to compete and as a result the two events were not included in the team scoring. Freshman Alexandra Caplan set a pool record on the 1-meter springboard with a score of 314.03, a mark that also goes into the SDSU record book as the second-highest ever. Caplan completed a sweep of the diving as she took first on the 3-meter board with a score of 318.38.

Fellow freshman Makena Chamoures posted scores of 277.13 on the 1-meter and 270.45 on the 3-meter board. Her mark in the 1-meter competition ranks eighth-best ever for an Aztec diver and was the ninth-highest score at the Aquaplex.

In addition, Shannon Finigan posted a career-high score of 296.48 on the 3-meter board, a mark that ranks seventh in the Aztec record book.

The San Diego State divers will next be in action when they travel to Los Angeles to participate in the UCLA Diving Invitational Jan. 17-19. Up next for the swimmers and divers together is a dual meet at the University of San Diego on Friday, Jan. 23, at noon at the USD Sports Center Pool.

Nevada Press Release

Junior Yawen Li won three events and the University of Nevada swimming and diving team split a pair of duals Friday at the Aztec Aquaplex. The Wolf Pack defeated Rice, 158-92, while falling to undefeated San Diego State, 132-112.

The Wolf Pack improves to 7-1 overall on the 2014-15 season, which now has just two dual meets remaining before entering postseason competition with the Mountain West Championships. Friday’s tri-meet hosted by the Aztecs was judged as two separate duals.

Li, who advanced to the NCAA Championships in three events last season, has now won 12 individual races out of 13 this year. The native of Wuhan, China, led Nevada in points earned with titles in the 200-yard IM, 200-yard breaststroke and 1,000-yard freestyle.

Li touched the wall in 10:11.55 in the 1,000 free and now owns two of the Mountain West’s top five times in the event on the season. Li’s time of 2:16.80 in the 200-yard breaststroke is the seventh fastest in the conference, while her 2:03.03 in the 200 IM set a team season-best.

Nevada also picked up a title in the 400-yard freestyle relay. Sophomore Sita Kusserow, freshman Josefin Eriksen, freshman Jaeger Turner and sophomore Teresa Baerens won the event in 3:29.12, marking the Pack’s second-best time of the season. Nevada also placed third in the 200-yard medley relay (1:44.60) and third in 400 free relay (3:37.98).

Sophomore Arantxa Medina-Alegria secured two season personal best times and provided the Wolf Pack with a pair of top three finishes. The Hermosillo, Mexico, native placed second in the 200-yard IM in 2:05.46 and led the Pack in the 100-yard breaststroke with a third-place time of 1:04.49.

In addition to anchoring Nevada’s relay victory, Baerens secured two additional top three times. She earned a runner-up showing in the 200-yard freestyle in 1:51.03 before placing third in the 100-yard freestyle in 51.81. Both of Baerens’ times were Nevada’s second-fastest on the season.

Junior Erin Fuss tallied two personal-best times in one of her top performances this season, placing third in the 200-yard butterfly (2:05.94) and fifth in the 100-yard butterfly (57.98). Fellow butterfly simmer Kusserow placed runner-up in the 100 fly (57.41) and fourth in the 200 fly (2:06.30).

Nevada also tallied three third-place showings, coming from senior Luiza Vieira in the 100-yard backstroke (58.38), freshman Kate Hofmeyer in the 200-yard backstroke (2:06.22) and freshman Josefin Eriksen in the 500-yard freestyle (5:03.94).

Nevada will return to the pool on Saturday, Jan. 24, for its home finale and Senior Day. The Wolf Pack hosts San Jose State at 11 a.m. (PT) from Lombardi Pool.

Rice Press Release

The Rice swim team senior duo of Casey Clark and Rachel Moody both posted individual wins in the Owls’ double-dual meet Friday afternoon in San Diego, Calif.

Moody defeated eleven other competitors for a win in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:02.92. The Houston native was also third among a field of 13 entries in the 200-breaststroke (2:21.12). Clark swam a 55.71 to win the 100-butterfly. The Owls’ veteran duo combined to help the Blue & Gray take second in two relay races.

Marissa Konicke and Hannah Deters joined Clark and Moody for a second place finish in the 200-medley relay (1:44.30). Junior Cora McKenzie teamed with Clark, Moody and Deters for second 400-freestyle (3:34.64).

Senior Erin Flanigan registered a pair of individual second place finishes in the distance events. After a 10:18.44 for second in the 1,000-free, Flanigan returned with a 5:03.71 in the 500.

The Rice swim team has concluded its winter training trip to the west coast. The Owls will next be in action at the annual Texas Grand Prix in Austin Jan. 16-18.

Results: Nevada, Rice vs. San Diego State

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