UCLA
A3 Performance Invitational
Walker Highlights Day One of A3 Performance Invitational
November 21, 2014 | Swimming & Diving
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A3 Performance Invitational Central
MONTEREY PARK, Calif. - Sophomore Hayden Walker reached the A final of the 500 Freestyle during the first day of the A3 Performance Invitational at East Los Angeles College on Thursday, setting a pair of personal bests to finish fourth overall.
500 Freestyle
The best swim in the morning came from Walker, who advanced to the A final with the fifth-best preliminary time at 4:56:30, a career best. Freshman Natalie Amberg posted the 14th-best time with a 5:00.17, sophomore Michaela Merlihan reached the C final with a 5:01.46 (21st) and sophomore Emily Hammond made the D race (31st, 5:04.69).
Walker improved to fourth in the evening race, posting another personal best with a time of 4:54.44, nearly two seconds off her morning mark. Merlihan won the C race with a career-best 4:55.97, which would have been the sixth-best time if it were the A final and was also more than five seconds off her prelim time. Prior to Merlihan's win, Hammond claimed the D race, setting a personal best with a 4:58.60, over six seconds quicker than the morning.
200 Individual MedleyA pair of Bruins finished in the top 16, as junior Arlyn Upshaw was 10th (2:04.99) and freshman Sarah Kaunitz 14th (2:05.64) to advance to the B final. A trio of Bruins qualified for the C race. Sophomore Nina Hayes was 17th (2:06.14), sophomore Maggie Burton 20th (career-best 2:06.70) and freshman Marie-Pierre Delisle 21st (2:06.72).
Upshaw won the B race, dropping her morning time by more than three seconds with a 2:01.95, which was the third-best mark in the evening races. Kaunitz was fifth in the same race, 13th overall, with a 2:05.98. Hayes claimed the third spot in the C race, 19th overall, with a 2:06.15. Burton was two spots behind her with a 2:07.20 (21st).
50 FreestyleThe Bruins had six swimmers qualify for the evening finals, led by sophomore Linnea Mack's ninth-place finish (23.41). Kaunitz (19th, 23.73) and junior Madison Applegate (21st, 23.74) made the C final, while senior Courtney Wilde (26th, 23.94) and freshmen Maddy Burnham (30th, 24.01) and Carly Reid (31st, 24.03) advanced to the D race.
Mack kept the Bruin first-place finishes going by winning the B race with a time of 22.59, which was the second-best time in the evening session and improved her NCAA 'B' qualifying time. Just before that, Kaunitz had the fastest time in the C race, going 23.61 to better her morning swim. Applegate was just behind her with a time of 23.75 (19th). Wilde was second in the D race (26th overall) with a time of 23.97, followed by Burnham (28th, 24.02) and Reid (32nd, 24.50).
200 Freestyle Relay
The Bruins posted a season-best time, as the quartet of senior Jessica Khojasteh, Mack, freshman Katie Grover and senior Monica Dornick swam a 1:32.23 to place third. The UCLA B team swam a 1:34.22 with sophomore Madison White, Kaunitz, Applegate and senior Taylor Carlson.
400 Medley Relay
The final event of the night featured Mack, junior Allison Wine, Grover and Dornick posting a season-best time of 3:38.93, which was second overall. Mack's 53.67 split in the 100 Backstroke to open the race improved her NCAA 'B' qualifying time.
The Bruin B team, White, Khojasteh, Applegate and sophomore Savannah Steffen, had a 3:44.69. White's 54.89 Back time was an NCAA 'B' qualifying mark.
On Friday, the 200 Medley Relay, 400 IM, 100 Butterfly, 200 Free, 100 Breaststroke, 100 Backstroke and 800 Free Relay will be run. Live results will be available via the Meet Mobile app.
Players Mentioned
