No. 1 Cal Women Down Pacific, 162-83

BERKELEY, California, November 3. TOP-ranked California beat Pacific, 162-83, in a non-conference dual meet on Friday afternoon at Spieker Aquatics Complex. The Golden Bears won 12 of 14 events, with Cal senior Sherry Tsai capturing the 100-yard backstroke in a time of 55.18 seconds and the 100 butterfly in a time of 55.67. The Bears' record improves to 5-0, while the Tigers fall to 1-1.

There was no diving at the meet.

Ja-Neil Bragg won the only two races for Pacific, barely edging Cal junior Emily Silver, 1:49.78-1:49.79, in the 200 freestyle and then taking the 400 individual medley (4:18.49).

The Bears A team of sophomore Lauren Rogers, sophomore Jessica Hardy, senior Erin Reilly and junior Emily Silver opened the afternoon by winning the 200-medley relay in a time of 1:43.80. The Cal B foursome of Tsai, senior Annie Babicz, freshman Courtney Eronemo and senior Lauren Andrews was second in 1:46.33.

Seniors accounted for five of Cal's individual wins. Tsai's time in the 100 back (55.18) tied her and Cal's best time of the season in that event and her time in the 100 fly (55.67) is the Bears' second-best mark of the year.

Babicz won the 100 breaststroke (1:03.80), Reilly won the 200 fly (2:01.37) and Andrews bettered her own and Cal's best 200 back time when she posted a 2:00.06 to win the race. Andrews' and Reilly's times were also NCAA B qualifying times.

"It was a good time for this time of the season," said Andrews, who also took third place in the 200 free (1:51.31). "I've been working on my free, too, and I think that'll help me in the backstroke."

Newcomers won three events for the Bears, as freshman Blake Hayter swam a Cal season-best 9:58.21 to outlast the competition in the 1000 free, freshman Alexandra Ellis won the 200 breaststroke (2:17.65) and sophomore transfer Dana Vollmer raced to a Cal season-best 4:50.70 (NCAA B) in the 500 free.

"I'm much more satisfied with this weekend than last weekend," Cal assistant coach Johan Steiner said. "A bunch of performances stand out. Blake Hayter swam a season best in the 1000 free. The 200 back was quite good with Lauren Andrews almost breaking the two-minute barrier. Sherry's 100 fly was good. And Dana Vollmer's 500 freestyle was a lifetime best."

Hardy and Silver each won an event, with Hardy taking first place in the 50 free (24.08) and Silver winning the 100 free in a personal season-best 50.42 (NCAA B).

The Bears closed the meet by winning the 200-free relay, as the Cal A squad of Silver, junior Kelly Stravers, Hardy and Rogers paced the Bears to a time of 1:35.45.

"We know that we have a lot of improvement to make," Steiner said. "The Georgia Invite is coming up in the first week of December, and that's our big focus right now. We need to bump it up."

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