University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Polyakova Leads Four Bruins to NCAAs in 1M
March 07, 2017 | Swimming & Diving
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- One day after three UCLA divers reached the NCAAs with their 3-meter efforts at the NCAA Zone E Championships, the Bruins took it a step further and qualified four in the 1-meter event. Maria Polyakova posted her second win in as many days, as well as another school record with her final-round performance. Ciara Monahan and Annika Lenz posted their second qualifying scores of the week, while Eloise Belanger checked in with her first NCAA-qualifying score.
It was another come-from-behind effort for Polyakova, who went dive-for-dive with Stanford's Kassidy Cook and Nevada's Sharae Zheng. The Bruin junior posted a preliminary-round score of 317.10 to put her nine points back of Zheng and 9.20 ahead of Cook. Belanger also planted herself firmly in contention with a fifth-place score of 285.25. Monahan (270.15) and Lenz (267.60) rounded out the Top 12 and Kat Friese completed her day with a 23rd-place preliminary score of 251.45.
In a near replay of the 3-meter event from a day prior, Polyakova saved her best for the final round of the 1-meter, where she posted yet another school record. Her 339.05 eclipsed Belanger's 336.00 set at last year's NCAA Championships. Belanger also topped 300 in the finals, as she totaled 303.90 over her last six dives for an overall score of 589.15 and a fourth-place finish. Monahan scored 289.70 in the final round and 559.85 overall to finish 10th.
Lenz, meanwhile, scored 284.40 to finish 12th at 552.00 overall. While the Top 11 automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships with their scores, the senior's fifth-place finish in the 3-meter event Monday, coupled with her Top 12 finish Tuesday, confirmed her 1-meter inclusion as well.
Competition wraps up the Zone E Championships Wednesday, when Belanger, Friese and Lenz will look to ensure that UCLA is represented in all three diving events at the NCAA Championships in Indianapolis. The trio is scheduled to take on the platform, which begins with a preliminary round at 10:00 a.m. (PT). The finals will resume at 12:35 p.m. Live results will be available at divemeets.com.
