USC swimming and diving teams get split in Arizona

The USC swimming and diving team fell to Arizona on Friday, but recovered Saturday to overthrow an undermanned Arizona State.

The long anticipated rematch with the Wildcats did not turn out well for the Trojans. Arizona crushed both the men’s (177-123) and women’s (180-119) teams.

Daily Trojan | Eric Burse

The silver lining behind the defeat was breakthrough performances by some of the younger USC swimmers.

Diving’s Victoria Ishimatsu remains unbeaten this season, winning the 1 meter (314.40) and the 3 meter (304.73), with freshmen Ariel Rittenhouse coming second on the 1 meter (263.18) in her season debut.

Senior Zoltan Povazsay clocked outstanding times for his first duel meet of the season, winning both the 200 yard free for the men in 1:38.25, an NCAA consideration B cut and the 500 freestyle in 4:31.50.

Junior transfer Lyndsay DePaul won her 400 Individual Medley in 4:17.29 and the 200 freestyle in 1:47.86, scoring her two NCAA consideration times. Sophomore Katinka Hosszu also clocked an NCAA B cut in the 200 freestyle, placing second with 1:48.30.

Junior Clement Lefert stepped up to the challenge of filling in for teammate Richard Charlseworth and won the 1000 freestyle in a 9:16.64.

“Clement had a beastly 1000 against [Arizona’s] Jean Basson even after losing his cap halfway through,” sophomore captain Patrick White said.

Lefert went on to win his second individual event of the day in the 100 butterfly (49.18), and was out touched for second place in the 200 butterfly by Wildcat A.J. Tipton.

Freshmen Haley Anderson won both distance events, winning the 1000 freestyle by four seconds in 9:57.87 and scoring her first NCAA B cut in the 500 freestyle (4:50.95).

“Haley really stepped up and got us the wins we needed,” senior captain Krissy Forelli said.

Sophomore Tanya Krisman lead the field by more than two seconds in her 200 butterfly and improved on her NCAA consideration time by winning the event with a 1:58.96 time.

It was in the opening medley relay, breastroke, backstroke and sprint freestyle events that Arizona made its move.

“We stood strong against Arizona after a tough medley relay loss,” senior captain James Martin said. “But we were very close to a top-5 team and are getting better all the time.”

On Saturday the Trojans traveled to Tempe, Ariz., to face the Sun Devils. The match proved to be much less of a battle for USC. The Trojans defeated ASU 169-122 for the men, and 168-130 for the women.

Anderson raised the bar in the first individual event of the day, the 1650 freestyle, and won by an amazing 40 seconds. She clocked 16.26.06 and scored an NCAA B cut in the process. Anderson later went on to win the 500 freestyle (4:48.77), where she improved on her NCAA B cut from Friday.

Povazsay also improved on his 200 freestyle NCAA consideration time from Friday, clocking a 1:37.64. Behind Povazsay was Lefert and White in second and third place.

DePaul won all three of her individual events: 200 freestyle (1:48.14), the 200 individual medley (2:01.28) and the 100 butterfly (54.89) where she lead a Trojan trifecta with freshmen Yumi So and Krisman placing in second and third, respectively.

In the men’s 100 backstroke, USC swept the field, led by freshmen Alex Lendrum (51.19), sophomore T.J. Auner and junior Shane Tusup.

Freshmen Lili Shiota swept the backstroke events, quickly establishing herself as the Women of Troy’s new top backstroker, clocking a 55.72 in the 100 and a 2:00.00 in the 200.

Hosszu won the 200 breastroke in a NCAA consideration time of 2:16.52 and the 200 butterfly (1:58.75), followed by So and Krisman coming in second and third.

In the sprint-freestyle events the Trojans were significantly stronger against Arizona State, with White, sophomore Jeff Daniels and junior transfer Emmett Walling sweeping 1-2-3 in the men’s 100 freestyle. Daniels also won the 50 freestyle in 20.81. Christel Simms won the 50 freestyle for the women in 23.75.

In an event foreign to the men’s captain, Martin out touched fellow Trojan breastroke specialist Dillion Connolly in the 200, clocking a personal best time of 2:06.04.

USC men’s 400 freestyle relay featuring Daniels, Walling, Povazsay and Lefert dominated the field and clocked an NCAA B cut of 3:00.33.

“Our relays did an excellent job racing well,” Forelli said. “Both the men and women.”

In diving, Ishimatsu won the women’s 3 meter springboard (334.88) and sophomore Harrison Jones took first for the men’s 3 meter springboard (464.25). Junior Steven Starks won the men’s 1 meter springboard (338.78).