WSWIM11/15/2014 12:39 AM | By: Cal Athletics
Bears Dispatch Utah, 186.5-109.5
SALT LAKE CITY – The fourth-ranked California women's swimming & diving team defeated Utah, 186.5-109.5, Friday in efficient outing that saw the Golden Bears win 11 of 16 events on a day they traveled round-trip from the Bay Area.
Cal captured both the 200-yard medley relay and the 400-yard free relay to open and close the meet, and eight different Bears claimed individual races. Only sophomore Missy Franklin, who prevailed in the 200 and 500 free, was a double-winner for the Bears.
“I felt we had a good meet overall,” head coach Teri McKeever said. “More than times, we were looking for mental toughness. We talked about this being a business trip, coming in the morning, doing what we needed to do in the pool, and then coming home at night.”
Following the 200 medley relay, freshman Cierra Runge won the first individual race by posting an 11-second victory in the 1000 free with a time of 10:08.83. Franklin then led a 1-2-3 Cal sweep of the 200 free, touching the wall in 1:48.92, with Caroline Piehl (1:51.90) and Camille Cheng (1:53.04) right behind.
Junior Rachel Bootsma made it 4-for-4 with a winning time of 55.27 in the 100 backstroke, before Utah's Stina Colleou broke the Bears' run with a triumph in the 100 breaststroke.
Sophomore Farida Osman just outreached Utah's Madeline Jamora, 23.74 to 23.75, to prevail in the 50 free before Cheng and the Utes' Giuliana Cigliotti were even closer in the 100 free; the two swimmers tied for first in 52.00.
Anne Kastler won the 3-meter diving competition with a score of 294.90 for an 11-point margin.
Junior Elizabeth Pelton continued with her strong fall season with another win in the 200 back, this time in 2:00.94. Franklin and Runge waged a battle in the 500 free, with Franklin coming out on top in 4:56.02 to Runge's 4:57.26.
Freshman Noemie Thomas (54.83) led teammates Bootsma (56.40) and Pelton (56.81) to the wall in the 100 butterfly before sophomore Celina Li (2:03.94) paced a 1-2-3 Cal finish in the 200 individual medley. Franklin took second in 2:04.50 with Piehl next in 2:08.41.
Cal completed its fall dual season with a 3-1 record. The swimmers next travel to the Georgia Invitational Dec. 4-6, while the divers will be at the Texas Diving Invitational Nov. 20-22. The Bears' next home meet is Jan. 30 vs. USC.