Nov. 21, 2009

Saturday Results

LONG BEACH, Calif. - Sixth-ranked California posted several strong swims, including Sara Isakovic's win in the 200-yard butterfly and Caitlin Leverenz's performances in the 200-yard breaststroke and 200 fly, en route to a second-place team finish on the final day of the Toshiba Classic on Saturday at the Belmont Plaza Olympic Pool. Cal collected 1,137 points to place behind Stanford, with 1,809.5 points. UCLA, with 725 points, was third in a field of 25 teams.

Cal raced to eight NCAA B qualifying, or NCAA consideration, times on Saturday night.

Isakovic, who won a silver medal in the 200-meter freestyle for Slovenia in the 2008 Olympics, swam an NCAA B qualifying and pool-record time of 1:55.83 to win the 200 fly. Bears filled four of the top five spots, with all four also posting NCAA consideration times. Leverenz was second in a time of 1:57.57, junior Katie Kastes was third in a time of 1:59.75 and junior Amanda Sims was fifth in a time of 2:00.32.

Leverenz also earned an NCAA B time of 2:12.37 in the 200 breaststroke preliminary heats, though she did not race in the final. The freshman moved into Cal's all-time top 10 lists for both the 200 breaststroke (6th) and 200 fly (9th) with her swims tonight. Leverenz has had an impressive meet, as on Friday night, she set a school record of 4:09.76 in the 400 individual medley.

Cal senior Lauren Boyle took second in the 1650 freestyle in an NCAA B time of 16:27.20. The final featured three Bears, including senior Blake Hayter (5th, 16:51.18) and junior Sara Sun (9th, 16:55.86).

In the 200 backstroke, Bears freshman Samantha Pearson clocked Cal's best final time, with a 2:03.75 to finish 15th, though she swam faster (2:03.61) in the prelim. Junior Ellie Monobe was the fastest Bear (20th, 2:22.58) to swim in the 200 breaststroke finals.

Cal junior Hannah Wilson was the fastest current Bear in the 100 free (6th, 49.69). Former teammates Madison Kennedy (4th, 49.46) and Dana Vollmer (5th, 49.49), swimming unattached, placed ahead of her. Bears junior Erica Dagg was 10th in 50.62 and sophomore Liv Jensen was 11th in 50.83.

The Bears finished the meet by taking second place in the 400-free relay. The foursome of Dagg, Jensen, Isakovic and Wilson clocked an NCAA consideration time of 3:19.75.

The Cal divers return to action in the Texas Invitational from Dec. 3-5 in Austin, Texas. The Cal swimmers next compete in the USA Swimming Short-Course National Championships from Dec. 3-5 in Federal Way, Wash.

Cal Finalists from Final Day of Toshiba Classic
Dec. 3 in Long Beach, Calif.

1650-Yard Freestyle

2. Lauren Boyle 16:27.20*. 5. Blake Hayter 16:51.18. 9. Sara Sun 16:55.86. 63. Shelley Harper 16:53.60.

200-Yard Backstroke
15. Samantha Pearson 2:03.75.19. Heather White 2:03.34. 26. Ursula Dailey 2:04.32.

100-Yard Freestyle
6. Hannah Wilson 49.69*. 10. Erica Dagg 50.62. 11. Liv Jensen 50.83. 14. Amanda Larson 51.80.

200-Yard Breaststroke
20. Ellie Monobe 2:22.58. - Caitlin Leverenz 2:12.37* (did not swim in final).

200-Yard Butterfly
1. Sara Isakovic 1:55.83*. 2. Caitlin Leverenz 1:57.57*. 3. Katie Kastes 1:59.75*. 5. Amanda Sims 2:00.32*. 11. Courtney Eronemo 2:02.67. 17. Ursula Dailey 2:02.68. 22. Shelley Harper 2:06.25.

400-Yard Freestyle Relay
2. Cal (Erica Dagg, Liv Jensen, Sara Isakovic, Hannah Wilson) 3:19.75*. 25. Cal (Amanda Larson, Heather White, Caitlin Leverenz, Lauren Boyle) 3:25.90. 27. Cal (Sara Sun, Colleen Fotsch, Katie Kastes, Blake Hayter) 3:28.24.

*NCAA B qualifying time