The UCLA women’s swim team dispelled any anxieties about
losing valuable seniors to graduation last year by defeating Oregon
State 140-117 and UC Santa Barbara 145-112 on Friday at the Student
Activities Center pool.
“We all wanted to come in and prove that we are not an
up-and-coming team,” senior Jeana Fuccillo said.
“We’re just as good today as we were a year
ago.”
With the pair of wins, UCLA is now 2-0 (1-0 Pac-10). The Bruins
recorded 23 consecutive victories over the Gauchos and six straight
against the Beavers. At the dual meet, the Bruins picked up eight
victories and four meet records.
The Bruins jumped out to an early lead by winning the 400-meter
medley relay and never looked back. Fuccillo, senior Amy Thurman
and sophomores Madeleine Stanton and Anna Poteete set two meet
records in the first victory of the afternoon.
“It was really important to win the first race,”
Fuccillo said. “We’re going to swim fast no matter
what, even if it’s the first race.”
UCLA’s speedy seniors made huge contributions in their
final competition against Oregon State and UC Santa Barbara. Katie
Nelson won the 200m and 500m freestyle while Thurman won the 100m
freestyle with a time of 50.68 seconds, good enough for two meet
records.
“The seniors took every opportunity to shine and show
Bruin pride,” coach Cyndi Gallagher said. “They show
everyone else how it’s done.”
Junior Nicolette Teo added two victories, taking first place in
the 100m and 200m breaststroke.
The Bruins were not only able to kick off their season with a
great start, but they were also able to gauge themselves as a
team.
“I think we definitely have potential,” freshman
Ashley Anlauf said. “People are going to have to watch out
for us.”
Before the beginning of the season, the swim team had a lot of
questions to answer, as huge holes were left in its roster when
last year’s seniors, led by Kim Vandenberg, graduated.
However, the Bruins’ easy victories over the Gauchos and
Beavers shed some light on their enormous potential to be as good
as or even better than last season.
While these two victories may not mean the Bruins have arrived
as a team, it proves that they are well on their way.
“Other teams are going to be scared to swim against us,
which is what we want,” Anlauf said. “We want them to
be nervous when they say, “˜We need to swim against UCLA this
week.'”