Feb. 19, 2011
BERKELEY, Calif.-- No. 2-ranked Stanford (7-0) closed out a perfect dual season, knocking off No. 1-ranked Cal (4-1) 124.5-118.5 paced by a distance sweep by Chad La Tourette and Stanford's diving trio finishing 1-2-3 in the one and three-meter events.
The nation's top two teams spit the 16 events with La Tourette sweeping the 1000 and 500 freestyles and the trio of Brent Eichenseer, Dhruv Tyagi and Noah Garcia crushing the competition with the top three spots in both diving events.
Stanford's dual win was punctuated with a first and third place finish in the final event, the 400 free relay, as Austin Staab touched the wall (2:53.97) eight hundreths ahead of Cal's Nathan Adrian (2:54.05), giving the Cardinal 11 points. Stanford also placed third, a nine point final cushion in the meet's final event.
La Tourette swept the 500 free (4:26.46) and the 1000 free (9:03.26), giving the Cardinal junior a perfect sweep of the dual season in the two longest disciplines-- nine races in all.
The divers meanwhile came through with a combined 32 points in its two wins in a final tuneup before next's Pac-10 Diving Championships. The freshman Garcia (299.63) finished ahead of his classmate, Tyagi (294.83) and senior captain Eichenseer (294.30) in a close three-way race in the one-meter. In the three-meter, Eichenseer (357.98) led all divers ahead of Garcia (346.53) and Tyagi (304.35).
Bobby Bollier was also instrumental in the win, taking the 200 fly title (1:44.24) and finishing second in the 200 free (1:37.31). Also winning for the Cardinal was Matthew Swanston in the 200 back (1:46.90).
It was head coach Skip Kenney's 16th perfect dual season in his 32 seasons.
Top-Three Finishes for Stanford
Score: Stanford 124.5, Cal 118.5
400 Medley Relay: 2. Swanston/Lovelace/Staab/Wayne (3:13.27)
1000 Free: 1. La Tourette, 9:03.26; 3. Zoldos, 9:21.21
200 Free: 2. Bollier, 1:37.31
50 Free: 2. Coville, 19.94
200 IM: 1. Staab, 1:47.18
One-Meter: 1. Garcia, 299.63; 2. Tyagi, 294.98; 3. Eichenseer, 294.30
200 Fly: 1. Bollier, 1:44.24
100 Free: t-2. Coville, 43.83
200 Back: 1. Swanston, 1:46.90
500 Free: 1. La Tourette, 4:26.46
Three-Meter: 1. Eichenseer, 357.98; 2. Garcia, 346.53; 3. Tyagi, 304.35
200 Breast: 3. Lovelace, 1:59.65
400 Free Relay: 1. Coville/Wayne/Allen/Staab, 2:53.97