Pacific 10 Women’s Championships: Day Two

LONG BEACH, California, February 25. AFTER finishing second after day one of competition, No. 1-ranked Stanford finish second twice at the Pac-10 Championships, the Cardinal rallied on Thursday to claim three of the evening's four titles. On Day 2 of the Championships, Stanford was paced by an American, NCAA, Pac-10 and school record by Julia Smit in the 200 individual medley, a win by Betsy Webb in the 50 freestyle, and the nation's fastest 200 freestyle relay team.

Senior phenom Smit has made a habit of breaking the record book trifecta in the 200 I.M. Her time of 1:52.31 broke her own American, NCAA, and Pac-10 record in the event, set at last year's NCAA Championships. The Mt. Sinai, N.Y., product became the Cardinal's first three-time Pac-10 Champion in the 200 I.M. She was three seconds ahead of USC's Katinka Hosszu (1:55.49) and Cardinal teammates Elaine Breeden (1:55.96) and Liz Smith (1:56.24).

"We knew [the race] was going to hurt a lot," said Breeden, a 19-time All-American and 2009 NCAA champion in the 200 butterfly. "But before the race we got together as a team. Our teammates knew that we needed them in our faces on the final transition from breaststroke to freestyle. Their cheering is what got us home."

USC's Hosszu, competing in the 200 I.M. at the Pac-10s for the first time, erased her school record of 1:56.11.

In the 50 free, Webb, with a career-best of 22.04, but she led a Cardinal quartet that represented half of the competitors in the grand final. The effort racked up 105 points for Stanford in just that event.

California sophomore Liv Jensen took second in the 50 free with an NCAA B qualifying time of 22.09. In her attempt to become USC's first-ever Pac-10 title winner in the 50 free, Presley Bard took third in 22.15, resetting her freshly minted school mark from prelims (22.26). Bard was USC's first contender in the 50 free final since 2006.

The nation's fastest 200 free relay team did not disappoint in the finals, as Webb, Sam Woodward, Kate Dwelley, and Smit posted a best of 1:28.27 to finish in front of California. The Golden Bears' 1:28.70 was good enough for second-best in the country this season. Arizona relinquished its five-year reign on the sprint freestyle relay when it touched the wall third in 1:29.50.

California senior Lauren Boyle won the 500 freestyle to open the second evening of meet competition. Boyle swam a Cal career-best and NCAA consideration time of 4:38.77. The time launches the distance specialist into third on California's all-time 500-free list behind Natalie Coughlin (4:37.62) and school record-holder Sara Isakovic (4:36.79).

Haley Anderson turned in a USC season-best 4:40.70 to take second in the 500 free. She challenged Boyle throughout the race, but Boyle held her off. Stanford's Kelsey Ditto bettered her top preliminary time (4:42.02) to 4:41.92 to finish third.

In other action, Arizona State's Ashley Evans became the second-fastest Sun Devil in the 200 I.M. The senior won the consolation final with an NCAA consideration time of 1:58.9. Washington State University established 14 season-best times during day two of the Pac-10 Championships.

The Pac-10 swim meet will continue on Friday with the 400 IM, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke, and 400-medley relay races taking place. Prelims begin at 11 a.m. and finals begin at 6 p.m.

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World Magazine. It has been posted in its entirety without editing. Swimming World offers all outlets the chance to reach our audience by contacting us at Newsmaster@swimmingworldmagazine.com. However, Swimming World reserves the right to choose what material is posted.

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