BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The CSUB men's swim team went head-to-head with national powerhouse Cal Thursday, and took advantage of the opportunity to use the stiff competition to lower individual and relay times before the impending Conference USA Championships.
Cal, currently ranked No. 4 and possessing a roster filled with All-Americans, world-record holders and Olympic medalists, won the dual meet 112-81.
“This was a great opportunity to swim against some of the best in the world,” said CSUB Head Coach Chris Hansen. “And for the first time in a long time we actually raced them. We're in preparation mode for conference championships and I can't think of a better way to do it than to compete against Cal (and Stanford tomorrow).”
The Roadrunner 400 medley relay of Luka Leskur, Chad McKenzie, Matt Parsonage and Malcolm Reid raced a solid 3:24.66 for third place, and was just over a second off the Bears' winning time of 3:23.63.
Freshman Nick Cavazos swam a personal best 10:08.55 in the 1,000, finishing third overall. Joao Foresto had a pair of season best times, swimming a 1:45.26 in the 200 free and a 47.73 in the 100 free. Michael Schwartz also had a season best time (22.87) in the 50 free.
Parsonage placed second in the 50 free in 21.34, just behind Cal's Alex Cushing in 21.02. Reid also had a solid dual time in the event, placing fourth in 31.88. McKenzie and Jake Preist were fifth and seventh of 12 in the 200 IM, finishing in times of 1:54.83 and 1:55.37.
Bakersfield's 200 free relay team of Parsonage, Reid, Kevin Miller and Dan Wickensheimer finishing in a solid 1:26.29, less than one second off the team's fastest mark of the year.
The Roadrunners are home at the Hillman Aquatics Center Friday at 1 p.m., hosting No. 2 Stanford in a dual meet. It will be the final home appearance for seniors Malcolm Reid and Adam Pawlowski.
