Publication Date: Wednesday, February 18, 2004
STANFORD ROUNDUP
Women's swim
Women's swim
(February 18, 2004)edged by Cal
in final relay
by Rick Eymer
Losing to rival California is never a good thing for the Stanford women's swim team. In fact, it rarely happens.
In the 31 times the two have met, Stanford has swum away victorious 28 times.
The Bears, however, made their third victory in the series the most recent one, completing a perfect dual-meet season by posting a 151-149 triumph last Saturday in the Avery Aquatic Complex before a school-record crowd of 1,784.
Fifth-ranked Cal finished the Pac-10 season 6-0 (9-0 overall) while beating Stanford for the first time since 1976. Third-ranked Stanford, meanwhile, fell to 3-2 (5-2). It was only the third time in Stanford coach Richard Quick's 16 years on The Farm that his Cardinal dropped two dual meets in a season.
The short-course meters meet came down to the final 400 relay, where the Golden Bears finished first and third to rally from a seven-point deficit. Cal won in an NCAA `A' time of 3:41.20 with a team of Natalie Coughlin, Danielle Becks, Micha Burden and Lauren Medina.
"It was an exciting meet with two wonderful teams going at each other," said Quick. "We were hoping we could score a few more points in the individual medleys because we knew it was going to be a chore with the freestyle relay at the end. California did a great job, especially in the last two events.
"I think the fans enjoyed it," added Quick in reference to the exciting meet before a large crowd.
Stanford's Tara Kirk and Coughlin both just missed American records. Kirk recorded a career-best time of 1:05.77 to win the 100 breast as she remained unbeaten collegiately in the event with her 33rd consecutive victory. She missed the American record of 1:05.74 held by Kristy Kowal of Georgia in 2000.
Coughlin won the 50 free in 24.60, coming within .08 seconds of the American record of 24.52 held by former Stanford swimmer Jenny Thompson. In the 100 fly, Coughlin's winning time of 56.64 was three-tenths of a second short of her own American record of 56.34 set on November 22, 2002. All three winning times met NCAA `A' qualifying standards.
Kirk was a two-time individual winner, also capturing the 200 breast in an NCAA `A' time of 2:28.50 to remain unbeaten in collegiate breast events since last falling in the 200 breast during the 2002 Pac-10 Championships in her sophomore season.
Coughlin picked up three individual victories for the Golden Bears as she also won the 100 free in an NCAA `A' time of 54.84.
Other individual swimming winners for the Cardinal included Lacey Boutwell with a mark of 1:58.36 in the 200 free, as well as Dana Kirk with a time of 2:06.80 in the 200 fly. Both times were career-bests and met NCAA `A' qualifying standards. The Cardinal also captured the meet-opening 200 medley relay in a season-best and NCAA `B' qualifying time of 1:52.38 with a squad of Megan Baumgartner, Tara Kirk, Ashley Daly and Sarah Jones.
Ashley Chandler (400 free, 800 free) and Helen Silver (100 back, 200 back) supported Coughlin's effort for California with a pair of individual swimming wins each, while Natalie Griffith was a winner in the 400 IM. Chandler captured the 400 free with an NCAA `A' mark of 4:08.91, while taking the 800 free in 8:29.44. Silver picked up an NCAA `A time in the 200 back (2:11.34), while checking in with an NCAA `B' time of 1:00.96 in the 100 back. Griffith's winning time of 4:45.45 in the 400 IM was also an NCAA `A' qualifier.
California won nine of the 14 swimming events contests but Stanford nearly made up the difference on the diving boards, going 1-2-3 in both the 1-meter and 3-meter competition to outscore the Golden Bears, 32-6. Gunn High grad Ashlee Rosenthal captured the 1-meter event with a score of 300.21, while Cassidy Krug was the 3-meter winner with 283.80 points. Both totals were career-bests.
The fast meet featured a total of 13 NCAA `A' times as 11 of the 14 swimming events were won with NCAA `A' qualifying marks. Dana Kirk (100 fly, 57.18) and Medina (200 free, 1:58.70) picked up NCAA `A' times with second-place finishes as Kirk's mark was also her career-best.
Stanford had won nine of its last 10 dual meets overall before today's defeat.
Stanford will next be in action at the Pac-10 Women's Swimming and Diving Championships running Thursday-Saturday, February 26-28. The swimming competition will be held in Long Beach, while the divers will compete in Federal Way, Washington.
Women's tennis
Top-ranked Stanford remained undefeated on the season with a 7-0 victory over visiting UNLV on Friday.
"It was a good match against a good team in poor weather conditions with the wind and rain delays, Stanford coach Lele Forood said. "We were glad to be competing again."
The Stanford pair of senior Lauren Barnikow and junior Erin Burdette improved their doubles record to 13-1 to help the Cardinal win the doubles point.
Stanford (7-0) was scheduled to host Fresno State on Tuesday.
Softball
Catalina Morris took care of the offense and Dana Sorensen took care of the pitching as No. 10 Stanford won its own Invitational on Sunday with a 4-1 victory over Santa Clara in the championship game.
Morris' two-run homer in the third gave the Cardinal (8-1) a 3-0 lead, more than enough for Sorensen, who allowed an unearned run on five hits to win her fourth game in five decisions.
Stanford will participate in its third consecutive tournament this weekend when it travels to Palm Springs.
In all, Stanford went 5-0 in the tournament. Meghan Sickler went 3-for-4 as Stanford opened the tournament with a 5-0 win over the Broncos.
Jackie Rinehart was 2-for-3 in Stanford's 2-1 win over Missouri, as Laura Severson pitched a complete game, giving up an unearned run on four hits.
Jessica Allister homered twice as Stanford beat Missouri, 5-2, to advance to the championship game.
Men's tennis
Stanford was upset by Rice, 4-3, on Saturday at Taube Tennis Center.
The Owls captured the doubles point to take the early advantage.
Sam Warburg, KC Corkery and James Wan won singles, but it wasn't enough as the third-ranked Cardinal lost at home for the first time this year.
Stanford hosts California on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Women's lacrosse
Stanford opened its season with a 15-4 win over visiting UC Davis on Saturday as Megan Burker and Abbi Hills each scored three second-half goals.
The 14th-ranked Cardinal held a 3-1 lead at halftime before taking charge in the second half.
Goalkeeper Kate Horowitz recorded eight saves.
Men's volleyball
Stanford (3-7, 5-9) lost twice to No. 2 Hawaii (4-1, 8-2) over the weekend.
The visiting Warriors won 30-19, 30-14, 30-19 on Friday and 30-21, 30-18, 30-24, on Saturday.
Stanford visits BYU for two matches on Friday and Saturday.
Men's golf
Stanford shot a 285 on the final day of competition at the Taylor Made/Waikoloa Intercollegiate to finish 11th with a three-round total of 862.
Cardinal Zack Miller fired a 68 on the final day to finish tied for eighth with a six-under par 210.
Wrestling
Stanford (6-2 in the Pac-10, 10-4) finished the regular season with a pair of victories over the weekend.
The Cardinal beat host UC Davis, 21-15, on Friday as Brad Metzler sparked the come-from-behind win with a pin at 141 pounds.
Luis Vendrell, Matt Gentry, Brian Perry, and Imad Kharbush followed with wins.
Stanford won nine of 10 matches against visiting Portland State for a 42-3 victory.
The Cardinal travel to the Pac-10 Championships, which begin Sunday, Feb. 29.
Track and field
Alicia Craig won the 5,000 meters at Saturday's Pac-10 Indoor Invitational in Seattle, and qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships with a time of 15:56.88.
Ian Dobson in the 5,000 meters, Sara Bei in the mile, Janice Davis in the 60 meters and Jakki Bailey in the 200 meters were also winners for Stanford.
Dobson ran the 5,000 meters in an NCAA qualifying and career-best time of 13:49.17. Bei ran an NCAA provisional time of 4:43.87. Davis qualified for the MPSF Championships in a season-best time of 7.46 while Bailey ran 24.77.
Men's gymnastics
Stanford won a home meet as freshman Brice Rolston won pommel horse with a 9.050 and tied for first on parallel bars with an 8.650.
Stanford placed first with a 208.550, Arizona State second with a 190.150, and Washington third with a 178.200.
Women's gymnastics
Stanford was upset by host Oklahoma, 196. 275-196.175.
The Cardinal captured the top three spots on the vault, led by sophomore Jessica Louie with a 9.875.
Lindsay Wing placed third with an overall score of 39.275.
Stanford hosts Cal on Friday at 7 p.m. in Burnham Pavilion in its final home meet of the season.
Synchronized swimming
Second-ranked Stanford was upset by visiting No. 3 Alabama-Birmingham on Saturday.
Stanford's trio team of Ashley McHugh, Katie Norris, and Stella Sadovnik started off the competition with an impressive 87.667 to 85.167 win
Stanford travels to Keuka, New York for the Keuka Invitational, where it will compete with host Keuka College, Canisius College, and Ohio State.
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