For six seniors, it was their last meet at Campus Pool and their last chance to go out on a high note at home. UCSB accomplished just that on Saturday afternoon, as the Gaucho men defeated Pacific 152.5-109.5, while the women took down Loyola Marymount 176-85 and Pacific 161-101.
The six seniors recognized were Tim Freeman, Andrew Latimer, Nic Grantham, Katie Tomkinson, Emma Hunt and Paige Bradley.
“It was a great day for our seniors,” head coach Gregg Wilson said. “All of them have contributed a lot to our program and it was a great day for them.”
It was also a great day for junior Andrea Ward who won three events in the meet. She started off with a victory in the 200 freestyle (1:52.98) and never looked back. She would also grab victories in the 50 freestyle (24.43) and the 500 free (5:05.33).
“Andrea swam very well for the women,” Wilson said. “For the men, I thought Mickey Mowry swam very well in the 100 back.”
In fact, Mowry took home a pair of victories including the 100 backstroke in a time of 52.15. Nearly edging out second-place finisher Randy Aakhus (52.30).
Mowry pulled off an even more stunning victory in the 100 butterfly. Almost a full body length behind in the last 25 meters he was able to track down University of Pacific’s Dai Wilson. Coming into the wall he was able to out stretch his arms in the last stroke and win by roughly one-tenth of a second.
Four other Gauchos won multiple events in a meet where UCSB won 19 out of 28 events.
On the women’s side junior captain Sophia Yamauchi placed first in both the breaststroke events. She won the 100 breaststroke in a time of 1:03.92. In a win of more than four seconds, she dominated the competition in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:17.51.
Another multiple event winner for the women was Allie Knight. She finished first in the 100 backstroke (57.94) as well as the 200 backstroke (2:05.50).
Andrew Barmann had a successful day in the pool winning the 500 freestyle (4:40.14) and the 200 freestyle (1:44.09). In addition to the pair of victories, he also set a career-best time in the 200 IM (2:00.06).
Andy Andres won the 200 IM in a time of 1:54.38, while also touching the wall first in the 100 breaststroke (58.69).
Other Gaucho winners on the day included Aakhus in the 200 butterfly (1:55.01), Chase Lemley in the 50 freestyle (21.49), Lucas Norman in the 100 freestyle (46.57) and Micaela Velasquez in the 1000 freestyle (10:46.44).
Bradley ended her final home meet as she anchored the victory leg of the 400 freestyle relay. Yamauchi, Ward, Kimmie Kreuzberger and Bradley finished the meet of strong in a winning time of 3:32.81.
“Everybody stepped up and met the challenge,” Bradley said. “Everyone put their hearts out there in the pool and I can’t appreciate my team enough.”
UCSB has one more dual-meet ahead when they take on Cal Poly next Saturday Feb. 9 on the road.
“This meet definitely helps set momentum,” Bradley said. “It’s going to be their senior day so we need to make sure that we step it up even more than we did this weekend and I am confident we will do that.”
