Huskies Swim and Dive Splashes to Personal Records
LONG BEACH, CA — The East Los Angeles College women’s swim and dive team had 14 personal records in a South Coast Conference double dual meet at the Long Beach City College pool.
The Huskies gave it their all but lost to host Long Beach 124 to 102 and upstart Rio Hondo College 154 to 91. Long Beach defeated Rio Hondo 122 to 115. The Huskies sport a freshman laden team with just one sophomore.
Three of the personal records came in with Husky first place finishes. Caitlyn Woo (Mark Keppel HS) won the 200-yard backstroke with her third straight personal record in the event besting Pasadena’s Sabrina Miller by 15 seconds. Woo also won first place in the 200-yard individual medley with a personal record in the event for the third straight meet.
Also, for the third straight meet the Huskies won the final event, the 400-yard freestyle relay with a personal record. ELAC Coach Michael Jafari switched the rotation and it paid off. Jafari placed Woo in the final leg instead of the first. Woo gained 19 seconds on Long Beach and the Huskies won by 12. Sophomore Crystal Rubalcava (Schurr HS) swam the first leg, followed by Vicky Zia-Lopez (Mark Keppel HS), Elizabeth Melendrez (Mark Keppel HS) and Woo.
Event 1: 200 Medley Relay: ELAC placed third. Two teams out of five were disqualified. ELAC’s personal record was their fourth this season in this event. It was Woo in the backstroke, Zia-Lopez in the breaststroke, Melendrez in the butterfly and Rubalcava in the freestyle leg.
Event 5: 200 Free: In an exciting finish for ELAC as Daniela Pastor (South Gate HS) edged Rio Hondo’s Alexis Orozco at the wall for third place.
Event 7: 100 Back: Lizbeth Perez (Orthopedic Hospital Medical Magnet HS) placed third and Kellie Ton (Mark Keppel HS) placed fifth with a personal record in the event for the second straight week.
Event 9: 100 Breaststroke: Pastor placed fifth (Personal record) and Michelea Esparza (Los Angeles HS) placed sixth. It was Esparza’s initial race this season in the event.
Event 11: 200 Butterfly: Melendrez won second place sandwiched between two higher-seeded Rio Hondo Roadrunners.
Event 13: 50 Free: Alejandra Gazpar (Maywood Academy HS), who competed in this event for the first time last week, placed sixth with a personal record and Esparza placed seventh.
Event 15: 1-Meter Dive: Zia-Lopez placed second with a personal best of 93.90 points eclipsing her previous best mark of 80.80.
Event 17: 100 Free: Gazpar placed sixth and Esparza placed seventh. Esparza had a personal record in the event for the sixth straight meet.
Event 19: 200 Back: Adding to Woo’s win in the event, Perez placed fifth with a personal best in this event for the third time this season. And Ton placed seventh also with personal best time.
Event 21: 200 Breast: Zia-Lopez placed fourth with a personal record for the third time in four meets.
Event 23: 500 Free: Rubalcava and Melendrez took third and fourth places. Rubalcava has had a personal record in this event every time she competes.
Event 25: 100 Butterfly: Pastor and Gazpar swam side-by-side in this event until the final lap. Pastor sprinted ahead and placed third with a personal record. Gazpar’s fourth place finish was 40 seconds faster than Rio Hondo’s Alexis Sanchez.
Event 27: 200 IM: Woo’s win was accompanied by Perez’s fifth place and Ton’s sixth place finishes.
Next Up
The Huskies compete in the 18th annual Pasadena Invitational, one of the largest meets in the state, at the Pasadena City College Aquatic Center next Thursday through Saturday.
Follow ELAC Athletics at http://athletics.elac.edu/landing/index or on Facebook at ELAC Huskies Athletics (@elachuskiesathletics).
story submitted by Tadzio Garcia