By Chris J. Starrs<\/p>\n
ATHENS, Georgia, March 17. BOLSTERED by a productive morning in the preliminary events, defending national champion Georgia captured two individual titles and two relay titles Friday night to blast past Arizona and Auburn, taking an impressive lead after the second day of the 2006 NCAA Women\u2019s Division I Swimming and Diving Championships at the Gabrielsen Natatorium on the University of Georgia campus.<\/p>\n
After 14 events, Georgia has 379 points to Auburn\u2019s 326 points and Arizona\u2019s 315 points. The three-day championship concludes Saturday, with preliminaries set for 11 a.m. (EST) and the finals scheduled for 7 p.m. (EST).<\/p>\n
Coach Jack Bauerle\u2019s top-ranked Bulldogs \u2013 who have not lost at home in their last 50 dual meets and won the national crown here in 1999 \u2013 sent nine individuals or relay teams to Friday\u2019s finals and made the most of their opportunity, picking up 218 points on the day.<\/p>\n
"We're fortunate for this morning," said Bauerle. "We had a great morning that led us to a great night. This has given us a chance. We gave ourselves a chance this morning. This is going to be a horse race."<\/p>\n
Georgia got the night off to a grand start as its 200-yard medley relay team \u2013 Tricia Harm, Sarah Poewe, Mary DeScenza and Kara Lynn Joyce \u2013 finished first in 1:37.24, eclipsing the previous pool record of 1:37.77 set by Stanford in 1999. Arizona, which came into Day Two in first place, finished second at 1:38.78 and Florida State finished third in a time of 1:38.97. DeScenza and Poewe were winners in the event in 2004 and 2005, and were joined by Joyce on the champion\u2019s platform in 2004.<\/p>\n
DeScenza, who entered Friday\u2019s competition with nine individual or relay titles in her storied career, picked up another individual championship in the 100-yard butterfly, finishing in a pool record time of 51.56 and defending her 2005 crown. DeScenza broke her own pool record of 51.70, established in 2004. The Georgia senior was followed by Arizona State\u2019s Caitlin Andrew (52.23) and Stanford\u2019s Dana Kirk.<\/p>\n
"It was a great race," said DeScenza. "Now we want to come back out here tomorrow and do the same thing as we did today. The atmosphere was electric. It feels like so many more fans were here tonight than last night."<\/p>\n
Georgia\u2019s Joyce earned her third championship of the weekend (she also won the 50-yard freestyle event on Thursday) in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:43.96. The event proved to be fruitful for the Bulldogs, who had three swimmers in the top eight finalists and picked up 51 points in the event. California\u2019s Erin Reilly finished second in a time of 1:44.63 and Auburn\u2019s Emily Kukors was third at 1:44.66.<\/p>\n
"It was my third event," said Joyce. "I knew it would be a tough race to win. After I hit the wall it was a relief. I'm just so happy to score so many points for the team."<\/p>\n
Georgia\u2019s 800-yard freestyle relay team \u2013 DeScenza, Joyce, Jessica Cole and Claire Maust \u2013 brought the night to a close in exciting fashion, as Joyce put on a remarkable come-from-behind sprint in the last eight laps to overtake Arizona\u2019s Anna Turner and pace the Bulldogs to a first-place finish in a time of 7:03.75, yet another pool record. Arizona finished second at 7:07.10 and Auburn was third at 7:07.12.<\/p>\n
Arizona and Auburn both managed to earn a championship apiece Friday with victories in the 400-yard individual medley and the 100-yard backstroke.<\/p>\n
Whitney Myers of Arizona won the 400-yard individual medley in a time of 4:06.32, setting a new Gabrielsen Natatorium mark, breaking the old standard of 4:06.76, set in 1999 by Villanova\u2019s Maddy Crippen. Auburn\u2019s Julie Stupp was second at 4:09.22 and Stanford\u2019s Kristen Caverly finished third in a time of 4:09.70.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m still stunned (that I won the race),\u201d said Myers. \u201cI\u2019m really proud of how I did. I was hurting in that last 100 yards, but no guts, no glory. This is the first time I\u2019ve ever swam the 400 IM in a major event.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the 100-yard backstroke, Auburn\u2019s Rachel Goh finished first in a pool-record time of 52.35, bettering the previous record of 52.36, set by Marilyn Chang of Georgia in 1999. Arizona\u2019s Jenna Gresdal was second at 52.74 and Virginia\u2019s Brielle White was third at 52.76.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was just amazing to win for Auburn,\u201d said Goh, a sophomore. \u201cI put my heart and soul into the team. I just wanted to win for them. With our team, it's like every person counts. They're like my family. I'm just amazed.\u201d <\/p>\n
In the 3-meter diving finals, Blythe Hartley of Southern Cal was first with 373.15 points, followed by Christina Loukas of Indiana (371.40) and Auburn\u2019s Corey Gerlach (365.65). Cal's Jessica Hardy edged Rebecca Soni in the 100 breaststroke as her 1:00.02 effort was slightly quicker than Soni's 1:00.07.<\/p>\n
Saturday\u2019s finals include the 1,650-yard freestyle, 200-yard backstroke, 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard breaststroke, 200-yard butterfly, platform diving and 400-yard freestyle relay.<\/p>\n