SAN DIEGO – In its final tune up before the holiday break, the San Diego State swim and dive program rolled to a 126-115 triumph over the University of San Diego on Monday afternoon at Aztec Aquaplex.
SDSU recorded the fastest time in all 14 swim events, winning nine, to claim its 46th straight dual-meet victory dating back to Jan. 8, 2018, a span of nearly five years. In addition, the Aztecs improve to 10-0 on the season after defeating the Toreros for the 29th consecutive occasion since 2001, including pentathlon meets.
Meredith Smithbaker and Mai McKenna captured two individual event titles that counted towards the Scarlet and Black's team score, while Paige Mitchell, Wilma Johansson, Emily Tenczar and Lizzie Menzmer also won individual races.
SDSU took control from the outset, grabbing the top three spots in the 200 medley relay, where the combo of Alex Roberts, Smithbaker, Menzmer and Jeannette King touched the wall with a winning time of 1:42.17, while the quartet of Evonne Stehr, Moa Bergdahl, Riley Tapley and Lyndsey Wehr was second after clocking in at 1:44.32.
In addition, the foursome of McKenna, Jessie McMurray, Abby Storm and Alyssa Schiller placed third after completing the race in 1:45.28, although the result was scored as an exhibition.
Mitchell was the Aztecs' lone participant in the 500 freestyle where she emerged triumphant with a career-fast time of 10:14.72.
SDSU boasted the top-three finishers in the 200 freestyle, as Johansson logged a victorious swim of 1:50.95, while Kristina Murphy (1:52.97) and Avery Turney (1:54.32) followed in succession. Not to be outdone, Murphy's effort marked a season best.
The Aztecs continued their dominance in the 100 backstroke, notched the six fastest times, including McKenna's winning performance of 53.92, which ranks fifth in school history. In addition, Roberts finished second with a clocking of 55.05, while King took third at 56.39, followed by Tapley (56.77), Stehr (57.64) and Storm (57.82), whose times were counted as exhibitions.
The victories kept piling up in the 100 breaststroke, where Smithbaker claimed the title with a time of 1:02.20, while Bergdahl was second at 1:03.46.
Shortly thereafter, Tenczar, who was SDSU's sole competitor in the 200 butterfly, took home the event crown after touching the wall at 2:04.29.
Menzmer soon followed with a victory in the 50 freestyle after completing the race in 23.67, while Schiller (23.97) and Wehr (24.12) placed third and fourth, respectively.
On the heels of a short break, the meet resumed with another strong showing by the Scarlet and Black in the 100 freestyle, where Smithbaker notched a winning time of 50.75, with King (51.41) and Stehr (51.85) not far behind. In addition, Turney was fourth at 51.97, although her effort was logged as an exhibition.
Subsequently in the 200 backstroke, McKenna posted her second win of the day with a career-fast performance of 1:58.32, while Roberts (2:00.59) and Storm (2:03.90) finished second and third, respectively.
With a comfortable lead on the team scoreboard, the Aztecs' times in the final five events of the meet were scored as exhibitions.
In the 200 breaststroke, Murphy (2:16.85) was the first to touch the wall followed by Bergdahl, who clocked in at 2:22.92.
Likewise, Johansson (4:54.04) and Mitchell (4:56.76) recorded the two fastest swims in the 500 freestyle, while Menzmer (55.09) and Tenczar (56.38) duplicated the feat in the 100 butterfly.
In her final race of the day, McKenna completed the 200 individual medley with a career-best time of 2:00.30, which ranks seventh in program history, while Evonne Stehr followed with an effort of 2:06.83.
The Aztecs subsequently wrapped up the meet with the two best performances in the 200 freestyle relay, as the quartet of Lyndsey Wehr, Menzmer, King and Smithbaker clocked in at 1:34.12, edging the team of the Mitchell, Johansson, Tenczar and Roberts (1:34.48).
San Diego State will break for the next two-plus weeks before returning to action for a double dual meet vs. Cal State East Bay and Incarnate Word on Thursday, Jan. 5, at Aztec Aquaplex. First swim is set for 10 a.m. PT.
Aztecs Continue Winning Ways; Defeat USD, 126-115
