USC women end 15-season losing streak to UCLA
USC’s Carol Rodriguez suffered a hamstring injury two days before Saturday’s Pacific 10 Conference dual meet against UCLA, putting her status for a shot at history in doubt.
But USC’s women had not defeated UCLA in a dual meet since 1992 – and UCLA Coach Jeannette Bolden had led the Bruins to 73 consecutive dual-meet victories – so Rodriguez was not about to let the opportunity to end the streaks pass by.
Rodriguez sat out the 400-meter relay, then blazed to team-record time in the 400, finished second in the 200 and ran a pivotal leg for the winning 1,600 relay as USC defeated the Bruins, 86-77, at UCLA’s Drake Stadium.
“We had a chance to make history,” said Rodriguez, a senior from Anaheim Hills who will compete for the Puerto Rican Olympic team at Beijing in August. “I didn’t want to leave that out there.”
Bolden, the United States women’s Olympic coach for the Beijing Games, knew the streaks might eventually end.
“We don’t go into the track meet talking about streaks or anything like that,” Bolden said. “We knew because of our lack of depth in the distance events it was going to be tough.”
USC took an 80-74 lead after the 1,600 relay, and Michelle Sanford secured the victory by winning the triple jump.
Rodriguez’s time of 51.39 seconds in the 400 was the fastest in the NCAA this season. Zsofia Erdelyi won the 1,500 and 5,000.
UCLA’s Nicole Leach finished second behind Rodriguez in the 400 in 51.69 seconds, the second-fastest time in the nation this season. Leach also ran the second-fastest time in the nation in winning the 400 hurdles in 55.37 seconds.
UCLA’s Jolanda Diego edged Rodriguez in the 200 in 23.14.
UCLA’s men’s team swept six of 19 events en route to a 89-74 victory over the Trojans. The Bruins men have not lost a home dual meet to USC since 1977
UCLA’s Kevin Craddock won the 110 hurdles in 13.46 seconds, the second-fastest time in the NCAA this season and the top non-wind-aided mark. Johnny Quinn won the pole vault based on misses with a lifetime-best mark of 17 feet 5 inches. Dustin DeLeo also had a 17-5 mark.
USC’s Lionel Larry won the 400 in 45.04 seconds, the fourth-fastest time in the world this year. He also won the 200 in 20.65 seconds and was part of winning 400- and 1,600-meter relay teams.
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