MONTEREY PARK – The UC Santa Barbara women’s swim and dive team wrapped up a full day of events on the second day of the MPSF Championships held at East Los Angeles College. Sophia Yamauchi had the standout performance of the day with her victory in the 200 IM.
Yamauchi finished with a time of 1:58.98 and remains the only swimmer this year to break the two minute mark in the event. She holds the meet record in the 200 IM, which she set last year, and her time of 1:58.98 is a NCAA ‘B’ cut and tops her season-best. Allie Knight took a fifth place finish in the 200 IM final (2:02.27) and Paige Bradley took eighth (2:05.08) making it three Gauchos in the championship final. Taylor Munk also contributed in the bonus final, finishing in fifth (21st overall) with her time of 2:06.49.
In the 200 free relay, UCSB’s team of Katie Tomkinson, Kimmie Kreuzberger, Carissa Metcalf and Yamauchi finished in fifth place with a season-best time of 1:33.11.
The 500 free featured another trio of Gauchos competing in the championship final. Coming in third place was Andrea Ward with a time of 4:51.95. Right behind her in fourth place was Heren Alanis (4:52.80) and Micaela Velasquez rounded out the three taking eighth place in 5:00.70. Monica Garcia chipped in as well breaking into the consolation final with a fifth place (13th overall) finish (5:00.14).
Tomkinson was the lone Gaucho to advance to the championship final in the 50 free and she came away with a sixth place finish. She finished with a time of 23.43 in the finals and had her season-best time come in preliminary heats at 23.30. Kreuzberger would advance to the bonus final for UCSB and she finished 22nd overall (23.93).
Diving opened up with the women’s three-meter diving competition and two Gauchos advanced to the consolation finals. Freshman Monika Terry (227.50) and Hannah Tomp (219.45) finished 14th and 16th overall, respectively.
After two days of competition UCSB finds itself in fourth place with 208 points. Hawaii jumped to the top with 240 and in second place is UC Davis with 229. Reigning champion BYU is in third place with 216 points.
Day three of events will continue tomorrow featuring the 400 medley relay, 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back, and the one-meter diving competiton.
