The #6 (in our mid-season power rankings) men and women Trojans beat the visiting Wisconsin Badgers Saturday, the men triumphing 151-124 and the women coming out on top 154-103.
The USC men exerted their dominance by sweeping the top two spots in both relays. The A squad went 1:27.16 and the B team 1:28.57 in the 200 medley relay, and the 400 free relay team won in 2:56.90 with the B team just missing the sub-3-minutes with a 3:00.00.
Jack Wagner picked on Wisconsin’s biggest weakness in the sprint frees. He went 20.56 to win the 50 free (a 1-2 USC finish) and was also 45.95 to win the 100 free.
Morten Klarskov won a tight battle with Wisconsin’s Nick Schafer in the 100 breast, going 55.94 to Schafer’s 56.07. Schafer did come back to blow away the Klarskov-less field in the 200 breast though, going 2:00.95. The next finisher was 2:05.
The backstrokes were much the same scenario. Trojan Luca Spinazzola beat Wisconsin’s Drew Teduits 48.27 to 49.24 in the 100, but didn’t swim the 200 back, where Teduits won in 1:46.36, beating USC’s Chase Bloch.
The big force for Wisconsin was Nicholas Caldwell in the distance events. He went 9:18.39 to outlast Ted Singley in the 1000 free, then followed up with a big 4:26.79 500 free win over Dimitri Colupaev.
On the women’s side, #20 Wisconsin only won two events as USC swarmed the Badgers. Kasey Carlson was particularly dangerous, winning the 100 breast in a modest 1:02.69, but coming back to beat Wisconsin’s Ivy Martin in the 100 free 49.40 to 49.71.
Martin was one of the winners for Wisconsin, taking the 50 free with a 22.60 to hand Carlson her only loss on the day. Carlson was 22.85.
Stina Gardell came alive in the second two sections of the meet, going 2:15.76 to dominate the 200 breast and winning the 200 IM in 2:01.67.
Kendyl Stewart (55.23 in the 100 back) and Megan Hawthorne (2:01.70 in the 200 back) combined to sweep the backstrokes for USC, which also won both relays.
The other win for Wisconsin came in the 100 fly near the end of the meet. Rebecka Palm swam a gutsy race, coming from behind to beat Stewart 55.08 to 55.14 Hawthorne wasn’t far behind either, going 55.66, but Palm was able to hold off the USC bloodhounds to take home the win.
Yep – the men wore tech suits for relays, the women chose not to. I just like to have the relays work on fast exchanges and speed throughout the season bc relays are so important at ncaas. Not sure what is meant by “supposed hard training” – but yes we just came off a training camp like everyone else.
No idea just heard they did. Maybe just as an excuse to swim fast after some supposed hard training.
Would just like to point out that USC suited up for their relays!
Just their relays? that is interesting any idea why? It is not like they were going to get an A cut or in danger of losing those relays