By Oscar Benitez (@OscarB006) – Spear Reporter – The Spartans Swim & Dive team cheering each other on Saturday at SRAC Pool in San Jose, Calif. (Photo by Gabriella Kelly – Spear photographer)
The Spartans and Aggies were tied at 138 heading into the final event, but San Jose State’s swim team narrowly edged out UC Davis in a heavily contested game which ended 151-142 at the SRAC pool.
“This was a great victory for us, we haven’t had a meet go down to the last relay in years,” SJSU head coach Sage Hopkins said.
Vilma Lindberg led the charge for SJSU, getting two wins in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:04.49) and the 200-yard breaststroke (2:18.94).
“The whole team really stepped up, we all came together to get this win today,” Lindberg said.
SJSU started off the day winning the 200-yard medley relay with a team consisting of Genevieve George, Ela Freiman, Lillie Grover and Dalton Sickon, with a time of 1:44.35.
George was one of the standout performers today as she earned first place in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:02.54.
She later finished second in the 200-yard individual medley finishing with a time of 2:05.58. Her consistent scoring helped keep SJSU in contention throughout the meet.
Going into the last event of the day with the score tied at 138, the atmosphere was electric as the bleachers were packed with everybody rooting for the Spartans.
SJSU’s 400-yard freestyle relay team of Laís e Silva, Nikki Lahey, Keira Vail and Sickon clinched the victory with a winning time of 3:26.38.
“It was so good. Everybody was so ready to compete, we all wanted to win so badly, in the locker room it was obvious that nobody wanted to lose,” George said.
SJSU will look to carry this momentum into next weekend’s tri meet with Pacific and UC Santa Cruz in Stockton, Calif. on Oct. 25.
