Women Swimming's Dual Meet Win Streak Stopped At 18

It came down to the final event, and that's how close it was for the Pasadena City College women's swim team Friday as the Lancers saw their South Coast Conference dual meet winning streak snapped at 18. PCC lost to Mt. San Antonio by the slimmest of margins, 138-136, as the Mounties also won the conference dual title over the defending champion Lancers. 

PCC finishes dual conference swimming at 7-1 while Mt. SAC went 8-0. In the double dual meet swam at PCC's Aquatic Center, the Lancers defeated Los Angeles Trade Tech, 187-51, while Mt. SAC downed LATT, 229-35. 

Pasadena led by five points (132-125) going into the final event, but the Lancers had no choice but to use some of their second-tier level swimmers as the Mounties won the race in a time of 3:58.96 while PCC valiantly tried to keep pace, finishing in 4:08.88. Lancers' stalwarts Ariahn Givens, Phoebe Lee, and Liza Echeverria were not available to participate as each had performed in the maximum four events each for dual meets. 

Mt. SAC also had the benefit of scoring points in diving while PCC did not carry a diver on this year's team. 

"Mathematically, we did about everything we possibly could to try to win," said PCC head coach Terry Stoddard. "We had many season bests swims and we won nine events. I'm proud of the way our team worked hard to keep a wonderful streak going for so long. We had selfless ladies who swam in different events for the team's benefit and not necessarily in the events they preferred."

Sophomore Ariahn Givens won three events, including the 200 freestyle (2:02.04), 100 freestyle (54.71), and 500 freestyle (5:42.52). Anais Hacobian also was a 3-event winner with first place finishes in the 100 backstroke (1:07.28), 50 freestyle (26.12), and 200 backstroke (2:25.38). Echeverria won the 200 breaststroke (2:35.44) and 200 individual medley (2:16.82) but was edged out at the wall by Mt. SAC's Madeline Budds, 1:12.19 to her 1:12.31, in the 100 breaststroke. 

PCC also won the meet-opening 200 medley relay with Sharon Perez, Echeverria, Givens and Lee at 1:59.65. Perez grabbed second in the 100 backstroke (1:09.03), while Lee took second in the 500 free (5:51.97).

[Photo--Freshman Anais Hacobian won three events Friday in PCC's home double dual meet, image by Richard Quinton.]