March 4, 2012
TUCSON, Ariz. - The Stanford synchronized swimming team captured the Western Regional title, Sunday, scoring 94.0 total points in Tucson, Ariz. The University of Arizona placed second with 77.5 points, while Arizona State took third with 43.0 points.
Starting with the trio, Stanford won three of the four events as well as placing first in the 'A' and 'B' figures. Seniors Alex Bollaidlaw and Koko Urata teamed with sophomore Liane Lovitt to win the trio competition with an 88.333. Stanford's Anna Boyle, Madison Crocker and Leigh Haldeman took second with an 86.333. Arizona's Cheryl Cheah, Claire Rudder and Emily Thompson-Bruder finished third with a 76.333, edging ASU's Jana Cunningham, Payton Landers and Jennifer Kurtz of ASU (75.333).
Bollaidlaw and Urata continued to swim well, capturing first in the duet with an 88.167. The pair finished just ahead of Stanford's Crocker and Jessica Guenther (88.000). Boyle and Haldeman finished as an honorary third place with an 84.833.Arizona's Clarice Ainscow and Allie Vanden-Berge finished third (74.000), while ASU's Lauren Miller and Corina Vanek were fourth with a 60.333.
Crocker won the solo with an 87.167, topping Arizona's Lauren Meadows (78.000) and Sally Harwood (74.667).
Arizona was the only squad to swim a team routine, scoring a 77.833.
In the 'A' figures, Guenther finished first with an 80.838. She was followed by Crocker (79.586), Bollaidlaw (79.393), Urata (77.932), Lovitt (76.626) and Boyle (74.474).
In the 'B' figures, Haldeman took first with a 70.049. ASU's Cunningham was second with a 65.358. In third place was Stanford junior Danielle Rossoni (62.802), while ASU's Landers was fourth with a 61.855.
Stanford will be back in action March 15-17 at the U.S. Collegiate Nationals, held in Gainesville, Fla.