Freshman Sophia Yamauchi started her UCSB swim career on a high note as the Gaucho women opened their season with a split against Oregon State and UCLA on Saturday in Los Angeles.
The Gauchos defeated Oregon State 170-92, but fell to the host Bruins 158-98.
Yamauchi showed that she has a bright future with the Gauchos. She started her day by posting a NCAA “B” qualifying time in the 100 breaststroke.Her time of 1:02.18 earned her second place behind UCLA’s Brittany Beauchan and is the third fastest time in the event in UCSB history. The newcomer also took second in the 200 breaststroke with a mark of 2:16.44, which is the fourth fastest time ever by a Gaucho.??
Yamauchi was a prep All-American in the 100 breast and 200 individual medley. She also swam on the Gauchos’ 200 free “A” relay team, which won in 1:34.58, and was on the 200 medley relay quartet that took second in 1:45.10.
The other members of the free relay team were Mariah Tharp, Anne Peanasky and Katie Stover. Stover, Miranda Schneider and Tharp were on the medley relay unit.
Another freshman, Andrea Ward, also made an impact in her first meet with UCSB, taking first in the 500 freestyle in 4:59.26, out-touching second-place finisher Samantha Vanden Berge of UCLA by .31 seconds.
?UCSB topped Oregon State in all but two events: the 100 and 200 backstroke. UCLA, however, finished in front of the Gauchos in 13 of 16 events.?
?Paige Bradley got the first-place points in the 400 individual medley after posting a mark of 4:23.36 – which ranks as the sixth fastest in program history.
?Emma Hunt and Astrid Amsallem then went two-three in the 1,000 freestyle. Hunt just beat out her teammate, touching the wall in 10:35.33, just .48 seconds ahead of Amsallem.
?In addition to her top finish in the 400 IM, Bradley also finished third in the 100 breast (1:04.31) and the 200 breast (2:20.47).
?Tharp was the Gauchos’ top finisher in the 50 free, coming in third in 24.24. She then finished fourth in the 100 free in 53.17, just behind teammate Katie Tomkinson, who took third with a time of 53.00.?
Stover rounded out UCSB’s top-three finishes with third place in the 200 backstroke (2:02.77). ? ?
UCSB will be back in action on Saturday, Nov. 6 when it hosts UC San Diego in a non-conference dual meet at 11 a. m. The meet will serve as the 2010-11 home opener as well as the men’s swim team’s season-opener.
