Jan. 23, 2004
Complete Results|Photo Gallery
Stanford, Calif. - No. 4 Stanford (3-0, 1-0 Pac-10) opened Pac-10 action with a 169.5-125.5 victory over No. 20 Arizona State (2-5, 0-4 Pac-10) at the Avery Aquatic Center on Friday. Stanford won the first seven events of the short-course meters meet to take an early and commanding lead that was never threatened as the Cardinal extended its string of consecutive dual meet wins to seven. Kristen Caverly, Morgan Hentzen, Dana Kirk and Tara Kirk highlighted Stanford's individual performances by winning two individual events each.
Tara Kirk swept the 100 (1:07.75) and 200 (2:27.30) breaststroke events, in NCAA `A' qualifying times remaining unbeaten in the 100 during her collegiate career with her 30th consecutive win. Dana Kirk swept the 100 (1:01.40) and 200 fly (2:10.85), recording an NCAA 'A' qualifying time in the 200 and an NCAA 'B' mark in the 100. Caverly picked up NCAA `B' times in winning both the 100 (1:02.43) and 200 (2:14.39) back, while Hentzen won the 400 (4:18.37) and 800 (8:45.87) free.
Lacey Boutwell (50 free, 25.88) and Desiree Stahley (200 free, 2:02.44) also picked up individual swimming victories and recorded NCAA `B' times for the Cardinal, while Ashlee Rosenthal won the 3-meter diving competition with 326.78 points.
Arizona State's individual winners were Cara DeVinny (400 IM, 4:53.22, NCAA `B'), Florencia Szigeti (100 free, 55.57, NCAA `B') and Trisha Tumlinson (1-meter diving, 289.50).
Both teams won one relay event with the Cardinal capturing the meet-opening 200 medley relay with a team of Megan Baumgartner, Tara Kirk, Ashley Daly and Boutwell in an NCAA `B' time of 1:53.86. Arizona State was credited with the victory in the meet-ending 200 free relay as a team of Sarah Fischer, Jill Kripps, Sally Brown and Sandra Steffensen finished the race in 1:48.98.
All Stanford swimmers actually swam exhibition in the final two events of the day with Caverly recording the best time in the 400 IM (4:46.37) and a team of Stahley, Sarah Jones, Baumgartner and Boutwell finishing the 200 free relay just ahead of the official winners from Arizona State in 1:45.16.
Stanford will next host No. 6 Arizona (3-1, 2-1 Pac-10) on Saturday as part of a combined dual meet along with the Cardinal and Wildcats men's teams beginning at 12 pm, PT. Arizona, who suffered its first loss of the 2003-04 season at No. 8 California on Friday, was the last team to defeat the Cardinal in a dual meet, taking a 166.5-132.5 decision in Tucson just less than a year ago on January 24, 2003.
"This was a solid meet for our team today," said Stanford head coach Richard Quick. "Everybody from the people that normally lead us to our supporting folks swam well. Still, we'll have to be much better tomorrow against Arizona, and I think we will be."