Jo, Cienega Win 3 Events Each As PCC Splits Double Dual v. Mt. SAC, LATT

Freshmen Jocelyn Jo and Melissa Cienega won three individual events each as the Pasadena City College women's swim team beat LA Trade Tech, 134-120, and lost to Mt. San Antonio, 166-107, in the South Coast Conference opener Friday at the Aquatic Center.

Jo was especially exceptional in the breaststroke. Jo won the 100-yard breaststroke in a fast time of 1:10.77. She then won the 200 breaststroke event in 2:34.03. The two times were each the second fastest in PCC school history for the breaststroke. Jo also won the 200 individual medley at 2:20.14, which was 8.2 seconds ahead of the second place finisher.

Cienega also is approaching some school best marks. In winning the 200 backstroke, she reached the second fastest PCC time ever at 2:18.95. Her victory in the 200 butterfly was the third best time in school history (2:20.73) while her 1:57.76 triumph in the 200 freestyle was just .29 of a second behind the third best mark.

Sophomore Anais Hacobian grabbed victories in both the 50 freestyle (26.72) and 100 freestyle (57.34). PCC won nine events overall (out of 15) with a first place in the 400 freestyle relay (3:53.50), swam by Hacobian, Jo, Lindsay Jensen, and Cienega.

Hacobian took second in the 100 backstroke (1:06.81), a second slower than Mt. SAC winner Jerica Djapri (1:05.57). Jensen scored second in the 1,000 freestyle (13:15.75) and was third in the 500 freestyle (6:21.49). 

"We're going to be winning a lot of events in our meets," said PCC head coach Terry Stoddard. "We just can't get around the team scoring for duals. We beat maybe the best team I've ever seen from LA Trade Tech by just 14 points, and we lost to last year's SCC team champions in Mt. SAC. Our times are really strong for early in a season which is a great sign for us."

PCC makes its annual trip to Northern California this weekend. The Lancers will participate in a dual meet at Diablo Valley College on Friday, Mar. 10 and then take part in the Mariner Invitational at College of Marin on Saturday, Mar. 11.