BERKELEY, CALIF. -- Five pool records launched the top-ranked Stanford women's swimming and diving team to a 177-123 win over No. 2 Cal in front of a standing room only crowd at Spieker Aquatics Complex on Saturday afternoon.
Stanford (8-0, 7-0 Pac-12) capped a second straight undefeated season, and has won 15 straight dual meets dating back to its last visit to Cal on Feb. 14, 2015. It also marked Stanford's 14th straight Pac-12 dual meet victory. Cal finished the season 7-2 overall and 6-1 against the Pac-12.
Freshman Katie Ledecky set three pool records. She began the day with an impressive double in the 1,000-yard freestyle and 200 free. As soon as she finished with a pool record in the 1000 in 9:20.41, Ledecky hopped back in the water and out-touched fellow Olympian and teammate Simone Manuel in the 200 with a facility record of 1:43.09.
Manuel set her own pool record in the 50 free. Right before the break, she hit the pad at 21.97 to top a field that will likely preview the Pac-12 and NCAA Championship finals. Then immediately after the break, Manuel and senior Lia Neal finished 1-2 in the 100 free. Manuel finished at 48.17, while Neal surged past Cal's Abbey Weitzeil to finish second at 48.49.
?? finish for @simone_manuel and @LiaNeal https://t.co/7AGKTc88oJ
— Stanford WSwim/Dive (@stanfordwswim) February 11, 2017
HOWE AND HU: Junior Janet Hu won twice (again), and set her own pool record. Hu, who has won multiple events in four straight dual meets, broke the Cal facility record with a finish of 51.61 in the 100 backstroke, and also won the 100 butterfly at 51.93. Junior Ally Howe combined to sweep the backstroke with Hu as Howe won the 200 back with a finish of 1:53.98.
.@allyjoyhowe with a big win the 200 back ?? #GoStanford #BeatCal pic.twitter.com/1J698rA31H
— Stanford WSwim/Dive (@stanfordwswim) February 11, 2017
UNDEFEATED: Diver Kassidy Cook remained undefeated in five dual meets on the 1-meter. She earned her spot on top of the podium with a score of 309.68.
TIED UP: Sophomore Kim Williams and Cal's Marina Garcia pulled off an impressive feat. The duo tied for first in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke. They simultaneously touched at 1:01.89 in the 100 and did it again at 2:12.16 in the 200.
CARDINAL DEPTH: Freshmen Megan Byrnes and Katie Drabot picked up some big points behind Ledecky in the distance events. Byrnes was second in the 1000 at 9:46.47, while Drabot was second in the 500 at 4:44.86. Senior Nicole Stafford helped the Cardinal sweep the podium in the 200 free with an impressive third-place finish of 1:48.21.
SENIOR FINALE: Saturday marked the final regular season meet for Stanford seniors Neal, Stafford, Tara Halsted and Bridget Boushka.
WHAT'S AHEAD: The Pac-12 Championships are on the horizon, and Stanford will be in search of its first conference crown since 2013 -- the first season under head coach Greg Meehan. The Cardinal has finished second each of the last three years. The championships are Feb. 22-25 in Federal Way, Wash.
SOCIAL SCENE: You can follow Cardinal women's swimming and diving all year long on instagram, twitter and snapchat (@StanfordwSwim).
A photo posted by Stanford W. Swimming (@stanfordwswim) on Feb 11, 2017 at 1:46pm PST