Baker’s Dozen In Event Wins For PCC Swim Teams At SCC Meet

The 2012 Pasadena City College men’s and women’s swim teams have a strong talent base as they scored 13 event victories Friday, but those wins didn’t translate enough in team scoring as PCC split a South Coast Conference, double dual meet Friday at Mt. San Antonio College.

In men’s competition, PCC easily defeated Rio Hondo, 218-7, and lost to Mt. SAC, 168.5-102.5. In the women scoring, the Lancers defeated Rio Hondo, 157-62, and were beaten by the Mounties, 160-109. Mt. SAC routed the Roadrunners, 230-7 (men) and 216-43 (women).

On the women’s side, letterman Mikela Velasquez, a sophomore, was a part of four events wins, capturing the the 50-yard freestyle (25.77), 100-freestyle (56.01), and 100 individual medley (1:04.49). She opened the team’s 200-medley relay win in the meet’s first event.

Sophomore Courtney Jensen swam a career-best time in winning the 1,000-yard freestyle (11:42) after completing a powerful final leg of the Lancers’ 200-medley relay triumph with teammates Velasquez, Giselle Mendieta, and Paige Watroba (2:01.91). Jensen was barely edged for second place and settled for third in the 200-freestyle (2:09.84). She took second in the 500-freestyle (5:41.39).

Mendieta, a freshman, dominated in winning the 50-breaststroke (34.25) and 100-breastroke (1:15.04). Newcomer Watroba scored a close victory in the 100-butterfly (1:05.93), edging the next competitor by .57 of a second. According to PCC Head Coach Terry Stoddard, Watroba dropped three seconds from her previous best time, which proved to be the difference.

On the men’s side, sophomore Cario Liu easily outdistanced the field in winning the 1,000-freestyle (10:18.24, won by more than 33 seconds), the 500-freestyle (5:00.92, won by 16.65 seconds), and 200 individual medley (1:59.94, won by 10.34 seconds). Freshman Stephen To continued his brilliance in the butterfly events, storming to first in the 100-fly (53.10) and 200-fly (1:59.44).

PCC is 2-2 in dual meets for both the men and women. This Friday, Mar. 23, the Lancers’ women host a double-dual meet against Cerritos and East Los Angeles Colleges while the men will compete a straight dual against Cerritos. ELAC does not carry men’s swimming and introduced a new women’s program for this season. The meet has a 12:30 p.m. afternoon start at the Aquatic Center.