USC vs. California (Men)

BERKELEY, California, February 6. THE No. 6-ranked Cal men's swimming and diving team showed its overall strength by winning 12 of 14 swimming events on the way to a 157-130 victory over USC Friday afternoon at Spieker Aquatics Complex. The Golden Bears improved to 4-1 overall in dual meet competition and 3-1 versus the Pac-10. The Trojans dropped to 4-2 overall and 2-2 in league dual meets.

Cal's sophomore standout and 2008 Olympic gold medalist Nathan Adrian paced the Bears by winning the 50 (19.61), 100 (44.54) and 200 freestyle (1:37.82), while senior David Russell captured both the 100 (47.92) and 200 backstroke (1:46.81). Russell also swam the backstroke leg of Cal's winning 200 medley relay (Russell, sophomore Damir Dugonjic, sophomore Graeme Moore, senior Bennett Clark) that started the meet off with a winning time of 1:27.61.

Adrian won a gold medal in Beijing after swimming in the prelims of the United States' 400-meter freestyle relay. He currently has the nation's fastest times in the 50 (18.94) and 100 free (41.83).

Other highlights for the Bears were junior Aaron Casey swimming a season-best 9:17.55 in the 1000 freestyle, sophomore Dugonjic winning the 100 breaststroke (54.68), freshman Miller Douglas placing first in the 200 fly (1:49.38) and junior Sean Mahoney winning the 200 breaststroke (1:58.92).

USC's Zoltan Povazsky won the 500 free in a time of 4:28.63 and Vanni Mangoni, the 2008 Pac-10 champion, was first in the 400 IM (3:54.91). Cal swam the final four events as exhibition, swimming the fastest time in the 400 free relay (2:54.72, Adrian, Clark, Moore, sophomore Josh Daniels). The placed 1-2-3 in the 100 breast, the 50 free and 100 free.

In diving competition, the Bearssophomore Tom Henninger placed second to the TrojansHarrison Jones in both the one-meter (340.72-306.15) and three-meter (415.58-318.22) competition.

"It was a solid meet for us, we did a good job," said Cal coach David Durden. "I thought Aaron Casey had a nice swim in the 1000 free and David Russell is really starting to show life in the 100 and 200 backstroke. Our 400 free relay is starting to get consistent as well."

Cal will next compete against Cal State Bakersfield in a non-conference dual meet on Saturday, Feb. 7 at 1 p.m. The Bears conclude their 2008-09 home schedule Saturday, Feb. 21 at 1 p.m. against Bay Area rival and No. 2-ranked Stanford.

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