brennan angelmustang daily staff report
The Cal Poly swim teams did not win the Big West team titles, but beating Cal State Northridge on the men’s and women’s sides was a win in coach Rich Furman’s book.
Facing a more talented and better established group of teams, Cal Poly’s swim coach said if the meet were decided according to seed times, “Northridge should’ve whooped us by 50, 60 points.”
The men’s team finished one-half of a point ahead of Northridge, 322 points behind the next finisher, University of the Pacific, and 528 points behind winner UC Santa Barbara.
On the women’s side, Cal Poly was two-and-one-half points ahead of Northridge, tallying 249.5. The Gaucho women took the meet with 785.
Despite the disparities between the Mustangs and the top finishers, Furman was pleased with his team’s performance.
One of the surprises for the Mustangs was Daniel Lara. The freshman placed first in the 1-meter dive and second in the 3-meter dive.
Another top performer for the Mustang men was John Michelmore who placed third in the 200-meter breaststroke. Michelmore also finished third in the 100 breaststroke.
Nate Williams finished eighth in the 100 backstroke. Williams also placed 12th in the 200 individual medley.
In women’s events, Cal Poly’s Kira Linsmeier, Patricia Laverty and Erin Moody finished eighth, ninth and 10th in the 200 backstroke.
Stacey Sorensen was 12th in the 100 freestyle while Julie Demers placed 13th in the 1,650-yard freestyle. Leeanne Singleton finished 15th in the 200 breaststroke.
Sorensen also had an 11th place finish in the 50m freestyle, her top event.