SAN LUIS OBISPO – The final duel meet of the 2014-15 season featured a match-up between UCSB and rival Cal Poly. The Gaucho men won 12 out of 14 events, resulting in a 169-110 victory over the Mustangs. Senior captain Wade Allen led the team, winning all four of his events.
The Gaucho women lost to Cal Poly 152-135.
The women started the day of undefeated Gaucho relays with a win in the 200 medley relay (1:45.46). The “A” team line-up of Allie Stevens (26.85), Carissa Metcalf (29.95), Jaime Dang (25.59), and Lauren Vosseler (23.07) finished nearly three seconds ahead of the second place team.
The men followed suit touching first in the men’s 200 medley relay (1:31.90). The “A” team consisted of Billy Mullis (23.97), Andy Castilleja (25.69), Yoessef Tibazi (21.93), and Wade Allen (20.31).
Armen Darbinyan had the first individual win of the day, taking the victory in the men’s 1000 freestyle with a time of 9:37.92, just one second off his personal best.
Next up for the men’s 200 freestyle, Dylan Kubick (1:41.28) and Eddie Sanchez (1:42.07) took one-two.
The Gaucho backstrokers one-upped the middle distance swimmers with a one-two-three win in the men’s 100 backstroke. Freshman Billy Mullis (51.04) led the pack, followed by Albert Miao (51.96) in second, and Josh Smith (52.74) in third.
Senior captain Carissa Metcalf (1:05.73) earned the Gaucho women their first individual win of the day in the women’s 100 breaststroke, out-touching Cal Poly’s Sage Speak (1:05.76) by just three one-hundredths of a second. Jiana Vargem (1:06.20) followed in third, and Kathleen Benjamin (1:07.08) in fourth.
Shortly after Andy Castilleja (56.03) took the win in the men’s 100 breaststroke. Simon Wong (57.03) trailed in third and Putnam Browne (58.67) in sixth.
The Gauchos’ butterfly powerhouses Mickey Mowry (1:51.08) and Chris Nolan (1:51.86) went one-two in the men’s 200 butterfly. Andy Lau (1:54.08) followed in fourth and Richard Davison (1:58.45) in sixth.
The Gaucho sprinters made a strong impact on the point totals at the mid-way point of the meet, with the women going one-two-three in the 50 freestyle and the men going one-three-four-five. Lauren Vosseler (23.83) led the pack for the women, followed by Kimmie Kreuzberger (24.35) in second, and Julia Mikota (24.38) in third. For the men Wade Allen (20.80) took first, followed by Yoessef Tibazi (21.35) in third, Chase Lemley (21.44) in fourth, and Chris Dotson (21.69) in fifth.
After the break Lauren Vosseler (51.98) returned with her second individual event win in the women’s 100 freestyle. Hollace Barden (53.09) trailed in second and Kimmie Kreuzberger (53.16) in third.
The men followed with an impressive first through fourth victory in the 100 freestyle. Wade Allen (46.02) was out in front, followed closely by Chase Lemley (46.87), Chris Dotson (46.92) and Eddie Sanchez (47.02),
The Gaucho backstrokers continued the pattern in the 200 backstroke, finishing one-two-three. Billy Mullis (1:51.34) touched first, Albert Miao (1:55.30) second, and Josh Smith (1:56.12) third.
Castilleja (2:02.52) took first in the men’s 200 breaststroke for his second individual win of the day.
Dylan Kubick (4:37.97) out-touched Cal Poly’s Pearu-Peeter Pold (4:38.29) in the men’s 500 freestyle.
Yoessef Tibazi soared through the men’s 100 butterfly, finishing two seconds before his nearest competition with a time of 48.90.
Freshman Alyssa Shew (2:07.98) finished the Gaucho individual victories in the 200 IM.
The Gauchos finished the day with wins in the 400 freestyle relay.
“The men had a fantastic meet, winning every event but two. The absence of four or five of our key women due to illness, as well as [Cal Poly’s] diving points, made a big difference,” commented Coach Gregg Wilson.
The next Gaucho appearance will be at MPSF Championships, Feb. 18-22 at East Los Angeles College.
