TEMPE, Ariz. – The No. 2 ranked Cal men's swimming & diving team got a pair of wins from Destin Lasco in the backstroke events and freshman diver Joshua Thai won both diving events, however, the afternoon belonged to host Arizona State. The top-ranked Sun Devils came away with a 211-87 win over the Golden Bears on Saturday at Mona Plummer Aquatic Center.
 
The backstroke belonged to Lasco who won the 100 back and the 200 back. In the 100, he finished with a time of 45.81. After the first 50 meters, Lasco and runner-up Hubert Kos were neck and neck, but Lasco put considerable distance between the two in the second 50. Hugo Gonzalez finished in fifth for the Golden Bears, with a time of 48.49.
 
In the 200 back, it was once again a battle between Lasco and Kos. After the opening 100 Kos had a slight advantage with a split of 49.60, almost a second ahead of Lasco, who went out 50.54. In the second half of the race, Lasco was able to hold on to that fast pace and finished ahead of Kos by almost two seconds with a time of 1:41.24. Colby Mefford captured fourth in the event, with a time of 1:44.57.
 
Thai wrapped up his impressive weekend by winning both the 1-meter and 3-meter dives. Thai won the 1-meter dive with a score of 310.80, he was even better in the 3-meter dive, finishing with a score of 346.28. This weekend, Thai took first in three events and second in a fourth.
 
Gabriel Jett, Reece Whitley, and Björn Seeliger all took second in their respective events. Jett finished second in the 200 free with a time of 1:33.28. Whitley took second in both the 100 breast (53.36) and 200 breast (1:55.45). Seeliger finished second in the 50 free (19.41) and third in the 100 free (43.04).
 
Dare Rose took third in the 200 butterfly (1:46.44) and fourth in the 100 fly (47.84). Gonzalez took fifth in the 400 individual medley with a time of 3:57.92. It was his first time competing in the event this year.
 
Arizona State won 12 of the 14 events, including sweeps in both relays. In the 200 medley relay, Cal's "B" lineup of Seeliger, Liam Bell, Rose, and Jack Alexy finished with a time of 1:24.89. Alexy's split in the 50 free was 18.96. The Bears' "A" lineup of Jett, Whitley, Matthew Jensen, and Lasco finished with a time of 1:26.50.
 
In the 400 free relay, Cal's "B" lineup of Alexy, Seeliger, Lasco, and Robin Hanson finished with a time of 2:53.05. Cal's "B" quartet of Jett, Jensen, Rose, and Dylan Hawk finished with a time of 2:5.12.
 
The Sun Devils raced in technical suits while the Bears did not.
 
In La Jolla, the Bears defeated host UC San Diego and UNLV in the Triton Invitational at the Canyonview Aquatic Center. Cal finished with 698.9 points, followed by the Rebels with 657.8 and the Tritons in third at 644.7.
 
Cal had individual wins from Michael Petrides, Luca Pusateri Gissendaner, and Spencer Daily. Petrides was victorious in the 500 free with a season-best time of 4:23.64. Gissender won the 50 breast with a time of 24.71. Daily won the 100 fly with a season-best time of 47.47.
 
Cal was also victorious in the 200 medley relay, the quartet of Kai Crews, Gissendaner, Daily, and Colby Hatton finished with a time of 1:26.61.
 
UP NEXT
The Bears will be off until Friday, Feb. 3 when USC comes to Spieker Aquatics Center.
 
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