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Davis

Davis, California

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Aggies capsize in conference closer

The saying goes you learn more in defeat than in victory.

That’s what UC Davis is hoping for after two tough losses against conference foes to close the season.

When the Aggies’ swim and dive team sank against UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly this weekend, coach Barbara Jahn knew what it meant for the team.

“High level competition a couple of weeks prior to the championship meet helps the swimmers and divers fine tune their skills and ready them for their [critical] meet,” Jahn said.

The UC Davis women’s swimming and diving team won the 200-medley relay and seven individual events, but Cal Poly claimed the 400-freestyle relay to edge the Aggies and take a 157-143 victory Friday.

Divers Jennifer Meyer and Erica Stricker finished second and third, respectively, in one-meter diving to keep the Aggies within striking distance. Meyer’s score was 223.80 while Stricker earned a total score of 223.65.

Against Cal Poly, UC Davis was led by Linda Hermann, who won three individual events on the day. The senior started with a victory in the 200-freestyle in a time of 1:52.29, and then claimed the 200-backstroke in a time of 2:03.70. Her final win came in the 200 individual medley as she clocked in at 2:05.43 to outlast Cal Poly’s Amanda Maffris.

Saturday, UC Davis dropped a 190-110 decision to UCSB in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation dual meet.

In diving, Jennifer Meyer and Erica Stricker went one-two in both the one-meter and three-meter diving events against UCSB. Meyer won the low board with a score of 225.38 while Stricker finished second with a 212.85.

Meyer then repeated her victory on the high board with a season-high score of 234.30.

Hermann won the 200-freestyle in a time of 1:53.05 and finished second in the 200-backstroke in a time of 2:04.60. She earned a second-place finish in the 200 individual medley clocking in at 2:07.66 and paced the 200 medley “A” relay to a second place finish.

Despite the losses, Jahn is optimistic about the team’s potential in the MPSF Championships at the end of February.

“Team morale is still very high and we are ready to take on the postseason,” Jahn said.

RON HOOPER can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

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