The Tritons have struggled this year in duel meets. A loss to UC Irvine on Jan. 11 dropped the Tritons to 0-3, which equals last year’s loss total.
Against a strong Division I UCI team, the meet was hardly competitive, with the Anteaters winning 219-76. UCI had winners in the 200-yard medley relay, 1,000 freestyle, 500 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 100 breaststroke, 200 butterfly, 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 200 backstroke, 200 breaststroke and 1-meter diving. UCI is known for its good swimming and diving teams, and they were too much for the Tritons to handle.
“”Honestly, no, we didn’t match up with them,”” said UCSD head coach Scott McGihon. “”I felt the effort was there; we are just not at their level yet.””
On the brighter side for UCSD, winning efforts were produced by Kenneth Domond in the 100 butterfly (57.76); Dagart Allison, Danny Behrens, Brady Gosling and Mark Tate in the 200 freestyle relay (1:28.71); and by Michael Baier in the 200 individual medley (1:59.55).
The Tritons have faced fierce competition thus far this season, but it is nothing new to them.
“”It’s difficult,”” McGihon said, “”but we have always had meets against Division I and Division II top-level teams, so it was nothing new coming into this year.””
With an abundance of young talent, UCSD is very capable of turning its season around and becoming competitive later in the schedule, and despite a 0-3 duel-meet record, the Tritons have potential — as proven in their seventh-place finish in the Speedo Cup.
“”We have had success this year even though we have not won a duel meet,”” McGihon said. “”We are a very capable team.””
Wins for the diving team at the UCLA Diving Invitational on Jan. 17 and Jan. 18, and for the swim team in its meet against the Bruins on Jan. 18, would certainly be a boost for the squads, but the Tritons know that coming right after those events is a meet against rival UC Davis on Jan. 19.
“”A win against UCLA would truly be monumental. I think it will be good preparation for us as we look to Davis. Our focus is on beating Davis,”” McGihon said.
