Burdine and Masei each Win Two Events as Willamette Defeats L&C in Swimming

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Anna Burdine (Fr., Seattle, WA/Mount Rainier HS) won two events for the women's team and Alika Masei (Jr., Salem, OR/West Salem HS) earned first place in two events for the men's team, as Willamette University defeated Lewis & Clark College in Northwest Conference swimming on Saturday, Jan. 23.

The Willamette women downed L&C, 119-86, to improve to 3-4 overall, 3-3 in the NWC. The Bearcat men's team outscored the Pioneers, 117.5-87.5, and upped their record to 2-4 overall, 2-4 in the NWC. Both of Lewis & Clark's teams fell to 0-6 overall and 0-6 in conference dual meets.

Burdine won both distance events. She took first place in the 1,650-yard freestyle in 19:36.46. Later, she was the winner in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:43.06.

Masei recorded victories in the 100-yard backstroke and the 100-yard breaststroke. In the 100 backstroke, he achieved a time of 54.75 seconds to lead a 1-2-3 finish for the Bearcats that essentially clinched the men's overall win with three events to go. He led another 1-2-3 result for Willamette two events later with a time of 1:01.69 in the 100 breaststroke.

In the 100 backstroke, Masei was followed by Jason Bayang (Jr., Wahiawa, HI/Hoala School) in 57.05 seconds and Max Thompson (So., Lebanon, OR/Lebanon HS) in 59.72 seconds. When Masei added his win in the 100 breaststroke, the 1-2-3 finish was completed by Bayang in second at 1:02.01 and Mykah Fujiwara (Fr., Kaneohe, HI/Punahou School) in third at 1:05.68.

The Bearcats won seven of 11 women's events, while moving to the .500 mark in NWC dual meets. Burdine's two victories were complemented by one individual event win apiece by Cassie Tallman (So., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS), Malia Santos (Sr., Kailua-Kona, HI/Kealakehe HS), Kiley Lin (Fr., Palo Alto, CA/Henry M. Gunn HS), and Ashlyn Witherwax (So., Honolulu, HI/Punahou School). WU also won the 200-yard medley relay to open the meet.

Tallman took first place in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:05.30. She finished barely in front of Sofia Koutzoukis of Lewis & Clark, who placed second at 2:05.67.

Santos won the 100-yard butterfly in 1:01.67. Eleanor Gerrior edged out Lin for second place, finishing in 1:02.22, while Lin was timed at 1:02.27.

Lin earned her victory in the 100-yard backstroke at 1:02.63. Witherwax prevailed in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:10.09, as she led a 1-2-3 finish for the Bearcats. Tallman was second at 1:11.17 and Leah Freeborn (Sr., Federal Way, WA/Todd Beamer HS) was third at 1:12.60.

WU's winning time in the 200-yard medley relay was 1:53.36. Swimming for the Bearcats during the relay were Lin, Witherwax, Tallman and Santos.

Kassie Kometani achieved first place in two individual events for the L&C women's team. She won the 50-yard freestyle in 25.08 seconds and the 100-yard freestyle in 56.02 seconds.

In addition to Masei's two wins, the Willamette men's team also received one win each from Reuben White (So., Portland, OR/Westview HS) and Mark Yuvienco (So. San Jose, CA/Bellarmine College Prep). The Bearcats added a win in the 200-yard medley relay. Lewis & Clark won six of  11 events, but WU's depth helped the Bearcats triumph in the team standings by 30 points.

White recorded his win in the 200-yard freestyle. He registered a time of 1:50.67. Yuvienco was second in the event at 1:51.96.

Yuvienco was victorious by 2.53 seconds in the 100-yard butterfly. He completed the race in 53.14 seconds, while Kevin Fox of L&C took second place in 55.67.

In addition to placing third in the 100-yard breaststroke, Fujiwara also tied for second in the 100-yard freestyle. Fujiwara and Will Stoll from Lewis & Clark, each touched out in 51.92 seconds. Zac Oser of L&C won the 100 freestyle in 50.24 seconds.

Willamette's time in the 200-yard medley relay was 1:41.68. The winning relay team for the Bearcats included Masei, Bayang, Dan Aki (Jr., Union City, CA/James Logan HS) and White.

August Bergh won two individual events for the Pioneers. He placed first in the 1,650-yard freestyle in 17:29.90 and led the field in the 500-yard freestyle at 4:49.86.

Oser also took first place twice for L&C. In addition to winning the 100-yard freestyle, he claimed first in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 22.89 seconds.

The Bearcats will close out the dual match season by hosting archrival Linfield College on Saturday, Jan. 30 at the WU Natatorium. The NWC action is set to begin at 1 p.m. (PST).