Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
San Jose State
Spartans squeeze past pesky 'Dogs, 153-147
1/30/2016 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
By Jason Kelm
jakelm@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
FRESNO, Calif. - The Fresno State swimming and diving team fell 153-147 to San Jose State on Saturday afternoon at the Fresno State Aquatics Center. The Bulldogs' first-place finishes in one relay and eight individual events weren't enough to take down the rival Spartans in a highly competitive dual meet that would come down to the final race.
"It's disappointing that we lost the meet," Fresno State head coach Jeanne Fleck said. "But we swam faster than we've ever swam in a dual meet all the way across the board from start to finish. Everybody came with their `A' game."
The 'Dogs started the meet off strong with a win in the 200-yard medley relay with Ugne Mazutaityte, Brooke Rodriguez, Tarryn Rennie and Leah Hatayama swimming a 1:44.61.
The Spartans' Riley Spitser has been exceptional in freestyle events this year and answered with back-to-back wins in the 1000-yard free (10:36.65) and the 200-yard free (1:51.41) to take the lead, 37-18.
Mazutaityte and Rodriguez would take the next two events in the 100-yard backstroke (55.55) and the 100-yard breaststroke (1:05.94), respectively.
After Hatayama's 50-yard free win (23.46), the teams would take a break with San Jose State up 66-65. She then returned with a win in the 100-yard free (51.94).
In dual meets this season, Hatayama has now placed first in all eight attempts in the 50 free and five of six attempts in the 100 free.
Mazutaityte then grabbed first place in the 200-yard back (2:00.14) by almost five seconds and Hailee Baldwin took the top spot in the 200-yard breast (2:21.57) to give the 'Dogs a 108-99 lead.
Spitser brought the Spartans back in the match with a 500-yard free (5:03.07) win that was more than four seconds faster than second-place Bulldog Casey Kennemann.
After Fresno State's Esme Gullick's 200-yard individual medley win, the Bulldogs held the lead at 143-140 going into the final race, the 400-yard free relay.
Hatayama, Katelin Britton, Kali Conlon and Rennie swam a 3:30.24, just 2.23 seconds behind a tenacious Spartan group of Spitser, Brynne Beneke, Taylor Lehr and Marley Maluafiti.
"We swam our best and we gave them everything we've ever been able to give them," Fleck said. "We had a great meet. I'm feeling great going into the Mountain West Championships."
What's next?
The Bulldogs will have just over two weeks to prepare for the Mountain West Championships (Feb. 17-20) being held in College Station, Texas.
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Players Mentioned
