July 28, 2012
LONDON - Day one of the 2012 Olympics was a busy one for the contingent of California Golden Bears in competition across the United Kingdom. The U.S. women's soccer team, featuring former Golden Bear All-American Alex Morgan, earned a berth in the quarterfinals with its second victory of the games, while swimmer Natalie Coughlin collected her historic 12th Olympic medal and Dana Vollmer posted a new Olympic record time in the pool to highlight the Bears in action on Saturday.
Women's Soccer
The United States women's soccer team clinched a berth in the quarterfinal round of the games with a convincing 3-0 victory over Colombia Saturday at Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland. Former Golden Bear standout Alex Morgan, who netted a pair of goals in the Americans' victory over France on Wednesday, collected her first Olympic assist on Saturday. She got the scoring started for the U.S. in the 33 rd minute, latching on to a free ball in Colombia's defensive third and found an open Megan Rapinoe for the score. The U.S. now has firm control of the Group G bracket with six points in its first two matches with its next match coming on Tuesday, July 31 at 9:15 a.m. (PT) against Korea at Old Trafford in Manchester, England. Should the Americans post a win or earn a tie in the match, which will be televised live on NBC Sports Network, they will clinch first place in the group.
Current Golden Bear and 2011 All-Pac-12 honoree Betsy Hassett played 87 minutes for her home country of New Zealand in the Football Ferns' hard-fought 1-0 defeat to Brazil on Saturday at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. In her second career Olympic match, she earned her first career starting assignment, lining up in the midfield for New Zealand. Hassett recorded her first shot of the Olympics in Saturday's match. New Zealand and Brazil played scoreless soccer for the first 85 minutes before Brazil broke through for the deciding goal late in regulation.
Women's Swimming
Led by U.S. head women's swimming coach Teri McKeever, Cal had a strong contingent of current and former Golden Bears compete on Saturday. A bronze medal in the 400-meter freestyle relay and a world record highlighted the day's feats.
Natalie Coughlin, one of the most decorated Golden Bears and United States swimmers of all-time, collected her historic 12th Olympic medal on Saturday. She competed along with fellow former Golden Bear Jessica Hardy as the United States earned the bronze medal in the 400-meter freestyle relay.
With her most recent Olympic medal, Coughlin joined Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres as the most-decorated female Olympians in U.S. history.
Coughlin swam the preliminary heats to help lead the Americans to the finals, where Hardy teamed with Missy Franklin, Allison Schmitt and Lia Neal to finish third in the finals with a time of 3:34.24, behind Australia (3:33.15) and the Netherlands (3:33.79).
The other highlight of the day was Dana Vollmer's Olympic record time (56.25 seconds) in the preliminary heats of the 100-meter butterfly to catapult her into the top seed for Sunday's finals.
Current Golden Bear senior Caitlin Leverenz made her Olympic debut on Saturday, swimming in the 400 individual medley where she tied with Australia's Stephanie Rice for sixth place overall with a time of 4:35.49. Leverenz, who led the way after the first 50 meters of the butterfly in her 400 IM final, will next be in competition on Monday where she will swim in the preliminary heats for the 200 IM
Hannah Wilson, who recently completed her Golden Bear career in 2011, swam for Hong Kong in Saturday's 100-meter butterfly. She recorded a time of 59.59 to place fifth in her heat.
Also competing in Saturday's 100-meter butterfly was Slovenia's Sara Isakovic (Cal 2009-12), who placed third in her preliminary heat with a time of 59.86.
Both Wilson and Isakovic fell just short of the qualifying time of 58.74 needed to advance to the semifinals.
Men's Rowing
The U.S. men's eight, led by Cal head coach Mike Teti, won its preliminary heat with a time of 5:30.72, almost two seconds faster than second-place Australia (5:32.43). The boat, with former Cal coxswain Zach Vlahos coxing for Teti and the Americans, advanced to Wednesday's final.
In the other men's eight heat, former Golden Bear rower Olivier Siegelaar and the Netherlands placed fourth, clocking a time of 5:28.99. As a result, Siegelaar and the Dutch will race in Monday's repechage and attempt to advance to Wednesday's final. Germany won that heat (5:25.52) and joins the U.S. in the final.
Teti and Vlahos weren't the only Cal representatives to win their rowing heat on Saturday. In the men's pair, former Bear Scott Frandsen and his teammate David Calder were victorious in their preliminary heat. The Canadians crossed the finish line with a time of 6:23.80. Frandsen and Calder bypass the repechage on Monday and advance directly to Wednesday's semifinals. The final takes place on Friday, Aug. 3.
Women's Rowing
In the women's quad sculls, current Cal rower Kara Kohler and the Americans finished second with a time of 6:15.76. Germany won the heat at 6:13.62. Kohler and the U.S. will race in Monday's repechage and attempt to move on to Wednesday's final.
Looking ahead to Sunday's preliminary heats, former Bears Erin Cafaro and Julie Nichols will hit the water with Cafaro racing for the U.S. in the women's eight and Nichols for the U.S. in the women's lightweight double sculls. Cal's women's rowing head coach Dave O'Neill will coach Nichols and her teammate Kristin Hedstrom.
Men's Swimming
Three former Cal men's swimmers competed on Saturday in day one of the swimming competition. Dominik Meichtry, who swam for the Golden Bears from 2005-08 and is competing for his native Switzerland, placed eighth in his heat of the 400 free with a time of 3:51.34 and did not advance.
Cal had two swimmers compete in the heats of the 100 breast on Saturday. Damir Dugonjic (2008-11), a three-time NCAA champion in the 100 breast, placed seventh in his heat with a mark of 1:00.77 for his native Slovenia. Martin Liivamagi (2009-12), who helped David Durden's Cal squad win its back-to-back NCAA team title in March, was fifth in his heat with a time of 1:01.57 for Estonia. Unfortunately both Dugonjic and Liivamagi failed to advance to the 100 breast semifinals.
