Oct. 25, 2003
Los Angeles, Calif. -- Stanford (1-0) completed a season-opening victory over Texas (0-2) on the second day of a two-day short-course meter meet Saturday hosted by USC at McDonald's Swim Stadium. The Cardinal finished with 188 points, while the Longhorns scored 165. USC (1-0) edged Texas, 169-165, in the final scoring between the Women of Troy and the Longhorns. Stanford and USC did not score against each other but did compete in the same races, along with members of the Trojan Swim Club.
"Any time you win, you can build off of it, especially against quality opponents that will be there at the end of the year," said Stanford head coach Richard Quick. "When you do well, it gives you confidence and that is the key to swimming and all athletics."
Stanford's sister duo of Dana Kirk (200 fly, 2:12.00) and Tara Kirk (100 breast, 1:08.57) each won an individual event for the second consecutive day. In addition, the Kirk sisters swam the second and third legs of the Cardinal's winning 200 medley relay team (1:54.43) that also included Kristen Caverly and Lacey Boutwell.
Tara Kirk's victory in the 100 breast extended her collegiate unbeaten streak in the event to 28 in a row.
Boutwell finished second for the Cardinal in the 50 (25.98) and 200 (1:59.51) free. Caverly placed second in the 200 IM (2:15.25) and was third in the 100 breast (1:10.49). Laura Davis had a pair of third-place finishes in 200 fly (2:14.60) and 200 IM (2:18.25), while Morgan Hentzen was third in the 1500 free (16:35.07). Lauren Costella rounded out Stanford's individual top five finishes by placing fifth in the 1500 free (16:38.43).
Stanford also had two additional top four showings in relay events. The Cardinal placed second in the 400 free relay (3:48.24) with a team of Boutwell, Desiree Stahley, Lisa Falzone and Dana Kirk. In the 200 medley relay, a team of Megan Baumgartner, Kirsten Gilbert, Davis and Stahley supported Stanford's first-place crew with a fourth-place finish in a time of 2:00.33.
A trio of Stanford divers finished third, fourth and fifth in the three-meter diving competition. Ashlee Rosenthal was third with 468.25 points, followed by Brooke Sullivan (461.05) and Sara Bowling (453.70).
"We had enough good things happen in this meet that I think we're on the right course," emphasized Quick. "We hope to use this first meet as a launching pad for the rest of our season."
USC's Kaitlin Sandeno picked up a pair of victories for the second consecutive day, winning the 100 back (1:00.64) and 200 IM (2:13.32). Other individual event winners included USC's Kalyn Keller (1500 meters, 16:14.97) and Nicci Fusaro (3-meter diving, 539.20), as well as Texas' Sarah Wanezek (50 free, 25.96) and former USC swimmer Lindsay Benko of the Trojan Swim Club (200 free, 1:58.93).
Texas won the day's other relay event when a team of Lacey Elliot, Katie Robinson, Jaclyn Faulkner and Michelle Molina captured the 400 free relay in a time of 3:47.62.
Stanford will not swim competitively again until traveling to Pacific on Saturday, January 10. However, Stanford's women's diving team will be in action three times in November, traveling to the Trojan Diving Invitational (Thursday-Saturday, November 6-8), hosting California in a diving only event (November 12) and competing at the Houston Fall Invitational (Thursday-Saturday, November 20-22).