Lin, Tallman and Yuvienco each Win Two Events, as Bearcats Swim Past Boxers

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Kiley Lin (Jr./So., Palo Alto, CAHenry M. Gunn HS), Cassie Tallman (Sr., Seattle, WARoosevelt HS) and Mark Yuvienco (Sr., San Jose, CA/Bellarmine College Prep) each won two individual events, as Willamette University downed Pacific University in men's and women's swimming on Saturday, Jan. 20 at the WU Natatorium. Willamette was victorious in the women's competition, 112-90. The Bearcats prevailed in the men's competition, 129-61.

Both of Willamette's teams improved to 1-6 in dual meets and to 1-5 in the Northwest Conference. Pacific fell to 0-6 overall and to 0-6 in the NWC in both men's and women's swimming.

Lin took first place in the women's 50-yard freestyle and the women's 200-yard butterfly. In the 50 freestyle, she registered a time of 26.76 seconds to finish in front of teammate Jamie Johnson (Sr., Seattle, WA/Nathan Hale HS), who placed second in 27.07. In the 200 butterfly, Lin was timed at 2:23.37, as he won the race by just over four seconds. Lauren McWilliams of Pacific was second in 2:27.42.

Tallman earned wins in the women's 200-yard individual medley and the women's 200-yard breaststroke. She completed the 200 I.M. in 2:21.37. Maya Okamura from Pacific was second in 2:23.78. In the 200 breaststroke, Tallman's time was 2:34.38, while Kayla Knock took second for the Boxers with a time of 2:38.27.

The victories for Yuvienco were achieved in the men's 200-yard freestyle and the men's 200-yard butterfly. Yuvienco's time in the 200 freestyle as 1:49.28. Teammate Daniel Fang (Fr., Rancho Santa Margarita/Catholic HS) was second in the event in 1:50.56. The winning time for Yuvienco in the 200 butterfly was 1:58.72. Second place went to Ray Miller of Pacific later in 1:59.69.

Eight other Bearcats each took first place in one individual event.

For the women's team, Kate Harvey (Sr., Atlantic Beach, FL/Duncan Fletcher HS) won the 200-yard freestyle and Niki Kates (So., Truckee, CA/Forest Charter School) finished first on the 200-yard backstroke.

Harvey's winning time in the 200-yard freestyle was 2:09.46. WU teammate Rachel Harvill (Jr., Alamo, CA/Monte Vista HS) was second in 2:12.08, edging out Grace Connelly from Pacific, who placed third in 2:12.18. Kates earned a time of 2:21.06 to win the 200-yard backstroke. She started a 1-2 finish for the Bearcats, with Jensine Rasmussen (So., Tacoma, WA/Stadium HS) placing second in 2:22.26.

Fang was first in the 100-yard freestyle for the Willamette men's team, while Colin Hakeman (So., Bellingham, WA/Sehome HS) placed first in the 1,000-yard freestyle, Ben Hedman (So., Davis, CA/Davis HS) claimed first place in the 200-yard individual medley, Alexander Hougan (So., Olympia, WAOlympia HS) was first in the 200-yard backstroke, Ben Fritz (Fr., Los Gatos, CA/Leigh HS) won the 500-yard freestyle, and Mykah Fujiwara (Jr., Kaneohe, HIPunahou School) took first in the 200-yard breaststroke.

The time for Fang in the 100-yard freestyle was 50.55 seconds, as he held off Aukai Kea of Pacific. Kea took second in 50.99 seconds. Hakeman completed the 1,000-yard freestyle -- the longest race of the meet -- in 10:54.01. Fritz placed second in 11:05.79.

Hedman won the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:06.25. Hougan's victory in the 200-yard backstroke was earned by completing the race in 2:18.70. Brendan Otani (Fr., Kahului, HI/Kamehameha School), also from Willamette, placed second in the 200 backstroke in 2:19.56.

Fritz earned a time of 5:10.25 to finish first in the 500-yard freestyle. Hakeman took second place at 5:12.66. Fujiwara prevailed in the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:23.66.

Pacific women's swimmer Sadie Mak placed first in both of the distance races. She won the 1,000-yard freestyle in 11:57.56, while Britt Mitchell (Fr., Logan UT/Logan HS) of Willamette placed second in 12:09.61. Mak took first in the 500-yard freestyle later in the meet, as she recorded a time of 5:47.14 and touched out just before Harvey of Willamette. Harvey was second in 5:47.60.

The men's 400-yard medley relay had the meet's closest finish, as Pacific won the race by 0.04. The Boxers were timed at 3:46.62, while the Willamette team finished in 3:46.66. Swimming for Pacific were Kea, Derek Dunn, Michael Sakai and Miller. Willamette's relay team included Derek Ludwig (So., Moraga, CA/Campolindo HS), Fujiwara, Hedman and Evan Segimoto (Fr., Alamo, CA/The Athenian School).

With the overall team victories already clinched, the Bearcats swam exhibition in the 400-yard freestyle relay events. Even so, Willamette registered the fastest time in each race. The team of Harvey, Lin, Margo Coxon (Sr., Lake Forest Park, WA/Shorecrest HS) and Harvill completed the women's relay in 3:58.93. In the men's freestyle relay, Fritz, Fang, Yuvienco and Ludwig cobined for a time of 3:21.38.

The Bearcats will swim against Southwestern Oregon Community College on Friday, Jan. 26. Meet time at the WU Natatorium is slated for 6 p.m. (PST).