Cuesta takes WSC No. 2, ends Vaqueros' WSC streak at 135

Cuesta did something on Saturday that no Western State Conference school has been able to do for the last five years -- beat SBCC in a women's swimming & diving meet.

The host Cougars captured WSC No. 2 with 367 points. The Vaqueros were second in the 10-team field at 291, followed by Citrus (179), Santa Monica (175) and L.A. Valley (170).

Cuesta snapped SBCC's WSC win streak at 135 in a row. The streak began on Feb. 27, 2015 in SBCC's second year of swimming & diving.

"All great things come to an end," said SBCC coach Chuckie Roth. "We swam really well today. We are coming off a really hard week of training and I feel really good about how well we swam."

The Vaqueros are 21-1 this season and 21-1 in WSC competition. Their all-time WSC record is 149-5 in seven seasons. They've won the last five WSC championships.

Cuesta posted three wins while the Vaqueros had one in the meet-closing 400 free relay. Catalina Perez, Annie Ackert, Hana Wigzell and Myra Smulders were clocked in 3:53.12, which was 14.44 seconds ahead of Cuesta.

Wigzell was second in the 400 IM in 4:59.45 and third in the 200 butterfly in 2:24.82. Haunani Bautista was second in the 200 free (2:03.25) and fourth in the 200 fly (2:30.09). Ackert also got a second (50 free, 26.71) and fourth (100 free, 57.70).

Smulders was second in the 100 free in 56.83. Emily Reilly was third in the 200 back (2:26.61) and Jessica Goix was fifth (2:31.96). Reilly was also seventh in the 400 IM.

"Jessica Goix was huge in the 200 back and Emily Reilly swam two very good races in the 200 back and 400 IM," said Roth. "She also
helped the team place second in the medley relay. Haunani Bautusta was competing sick and swam some great times. Allison Kay swam her first 1650 and 400 IM.

"Ackert swam a great 50/100 free and 400 free relay. And Smulders was great in her 100 free and made big swims in the relays. Veronica Heidke swam a best time of 29.95 in the 50 free.

"All in all, it was good. Now we need two more great weeks to prepare us for the Cuesta Invite. I feel very confident of our abilities at the end of the season. This is a good group, they work hard and we are working on the little things."

The Vaqueros will return to San Luis Obispo to swim in the Cuesta Invitational on Friday, March 13.