After taking care of business in Moscow two weeks ago, the Idaho swim and dive team continued its winning ways in Bakersfield, California, Saturday, defeating California State- Bakersfield 212-88.
The Vandals won 14 out of the 16 events. Idaho coach Mark Sowa said Idaho was challenged by a good swim and dive program at Cal State-Bakersfield.
“We’re not used to swimming outdoors,” Sowa said. “We knew that if we came out a little stale or flat, we’ll be in trouble. The first relay was a little close but we were able to win that one and moved on from there.”
Sowa said Idaho has struggled to stay healthy but was proud of the team’s effort.
“It was nice to be able to see that performance and not be at our best physically as well,” Sowa said. “We need to continue to get healthy. We’re fighting a little bit of sickness as is everyone at this time of year so we’ll get healthy this week.”
Idaho started the meet off with a win in the 200 medley relay. Idaho’s Victoria Papke, Cara Jernigan, Maryann Kok Cher Ling and Sami Hendricks finished the relay with a time of one minute, 48.45 seconds.
Jernigan won both the 100-yard breaststroke (1:04.58) and 200-yard breaststroke (2:21.13). Sowa said Jernigan’s win in the 100 breaststroke was the best performance Jernigan has had this season.
In the 50-yard freestyle, Idaho swept the top three spots with Kok Cher Ling winning with a time of 24.22 seconds. Idaho swimmers Aileen Pannecoucke and Hendricks rounded out the top three positions.
Sowa said the win in the 50 freestyle further carried Idaho’s momentum.
“To be able to go in and win every event and then finish the first half of the meet with a one-two-three finish in the 50 freestyle, I feel like it really put Bakersfield back on their heels,” Sowa said. “It’s really encouraging to see that because this was a team that knew what the challenge was and knew we are gonna get their best shot early and kind of counterpunch. I was really proud of the effort and the focus.”
The Vandals finished first and second in the 400 freestyle relay.
Carlee Burks of Cal State-Bakersfield won the one and three-meter diving events.
Sowa said he’s excited to see how the Idaho underclassmen have matured and lived up to the challenge each meet.
“They’re really learning what it’s like to be a collegiate swimmer,” Sowa said.
He said duel meets bring a different stress because there are so many back-to-back events and swimmers don’t have a lot of time between events.
Sowa said it’s a learned task to mature in swimming and diving.
“They’re doing a great job of maturing with that,” Sowa said. “It speaks a heck of a lot about our freshmen and newcomers, but also our veterans that have been here for a while and teaching them well how to be good Vandals.”
Idaho will look to continue its momentum Saturday at Seattle University, where Sowa said the team should stay focused and work on its skills.
He said Seattle has improved and Idaho needs to celebrate its win against Cal State-Bakersfield but continue to work on what is ahead.
“We take every competition seriously and we’re going to get a great effort from Seattle,” Sowa said. “We always do. It’s a well-coached team so we’ll be ready.”
Luis Torres can be reached at [email protected]