In a swim meet that came down to the final events, the UCSB men’s and women’s swim teams lost to UNLV at Buchanan Natatorium in Las Vegas.
The Gaucho men fell 155-143, and the women lost 155-145.
UNLV got off to a quick start by winning the first five events of the day. In the women’s 200 freestlye, Emma Hunt almost pulled off the Gauchos first win but was edged out by four hundredths of a second. She would finish second place with a time of 1:55.64.
The first win for UCSB would come in the men’s 200 freestyle. Lucas Norman (1:40.95) and Andrew Dossa (1:43.09) finished one-two in the event. Norman also took first-place in the 500 freestyle (4:38.64).
The women’s 100 breaststroke featured a one-two-three finish for the Gauchos. Senior Paige Bradley would win her first of two events on the day with a time of 1:05.57. She was followed by Carissa Metcalf (1:05.67) and Charis Hoppe (1:06.12). Bradley would also lead a sweep in the 200 breaststroke. Her time of 2:22.64 led second-place finisher Erica Taylor (2:23.23) and third-place Metcalf (2:23.39).
Andrea Ward won the women’s 200 butterfly in a time of 2:04.13. In the men’s 200 butterfly Mickey Mowry finished second-place after just being edged out.
Narrow defeats seemed to be the story of the day as the Gauchos would lose a handful of events by just tenths of a second. None more apparent than in the men’s and women’s 100 butterfly. Ward (55.67) finished second, just five-tenths behind first. Mowry, for the men, finished second as well coming four-tenths behind the leader.
Despite the near victories, there were plenty of wins for UCSB to keep the meet neck-and-neck to the end.
Sophia Yamauchi was a multiple winner as she won the 100 freestyle (51.49) and the 200 IM (2:03.82).
Heren Alanis took first in the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:02.36.
Andrew Latimer helped the men’s side out with his win in the 100 freestyle (46.80).
Diving provided a boost for the men with Erich Brodbeck sweeping both diving events. He posted a score of 263.03 in the one-meter and an identical score in the three-meter.
Hannah Tomp finished third in the three-meter after a score of 230.70 and took second in the one-meter posting a 238.13.
With the women’s team down by five points heading into the final relay, they were once again edged out and fell in a closely battled meet.
The men finished the day with a victory in the 400 relay but it was too little to late. Latimer, Alex Campbell, Norman and Ryan Hanni finished first in a time of 3:04.17.
The UCSB men fall to 3-2, while the women are now 5-2.
The Gauchos are back in the pool when they take on UC Davis in Fresno on Jan. 26.
