VIDEO: Greg Meehan Interview | Andie Taylor Interview
LOS ANGELES – The Cardinal made its television debut a successful one by taking down No. 17 UCLA, 180-120, Friday afternoon at Spieker Aquatics Center. Felicia Lee, Katie Olsen and Andie Taylor helped tNo. 4 Stanford advance to 8-0 in dual meets by each winning two or more individual races during the event aired live on Pac-12 Networks.
“The intensity in which we are racing,” was most impressive to head coach Greg Meehan throughout the day. He told the television crew, “this time of year it’s a little less about the times we are posting and much more about how we are racing through some fatigue and trying to stick with some details of our racing.”
Taylor won both the distance events, outdoing UCLA’s Lauren Baker. She started the day with a 9:50.44 in the 1,000 free to win by more than 1.5 seconds and capped off the outing with a 4:50.62 in the 500 free, three seconds ahead of the field.
“It’s just about executing the race plan,” said Taylor. “I think I swam (the 1,000 freestyle) pretty well. I felt like I was able to have something at the end to finish off, so I’m happy with it.”
Lee was first in the 100 back (53.35), 200 back (1:56.75) and the 200 IM (2:00.42) and also contributed to the Cardinal’s winning 200 medley relay squad. Annemarie Thayer, Katie Olsen and Maddy Schaefer comprised of the rest of the 200 medley group.
Olsen, Stanford's other double winner, took both breaststrokes for the third straight meet.
Schaefer continued her dominance in the 50 free by touching the wall in 22.85 for a victory in the event she holds the nation’s best time in this season.
In addition to the 50, Schaefer swam a leg of the 400 free relay along with Lia Neal, Julia Ama and Julia Anderson. The team won by 0.07 seconds in a tightly contested match up to end the meet.
Maya DiRado also claimed an individual win (200 fly, 1:57.77). One of the country’s top IM swimmers, she sat out the 200 IM.
The divers competed against UCLA, USC, Cal and UC-Santa Barbara with the scores versus UCLA counting towards today’s meet. Stephanie Phipps was second overall in the one-meter (282.25) and Alex Clay led the Cardinal’s efforts off of the three-meter board with a ninth overall showing (257.80). Full Diving Results
Ting Quah won three races for UCLA.
Stanford moved to 30-3 all-time against the Bruins.
The Cardinal is back in competition tomorrow against No. 5 USC at 12 p.m.
“That’s another great conference dual meet,” said Meehan. “We’ll be ready to go head-to-head with them.”