Northridge Women Swim to Early Lead at Conference Finals

Tracy Sweetland was involved in two conference records Wednesday as the Cal State Northridge women’s swim team took the team lead after the first day of the California College Athletic Assn. championships in Bakersfield.

The Matador men, through three events, were in second place behind defending conference champion Cal State Bakersfield.

Competition continues through Saturday at the Hillman Memorial Aquatics Facility on the Bakersfield campus.

Sweetland won the 50-meter freestyle with a conference- and pool-record time of 24.99. Teammate Sandy Galins took second in 25.21

Sweetland also anchored the 200-meter medley relay team that set conference and pool records with a 1:52.78 finish. The first three legs of the event were completed by Stacy Mettam, Tina Schnare and Stephanie Hoisch.

In the 500-meter freestyle, CSUN’s Krissy Walden was second in 5:12.94.

The Matadors led in the team standings with 382 points, followed by Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with 296, Cal State Los Angeles with 191 and UC Riverside with 185.

In the men’s division, CSUN’s John Celentano had the top finish, placing third in the 50 freestyle in 21.85.

Bakersfield, the defending champion, topped the team standings with 170 points by sweeping the top three places in two of the three events contested. Northridge was second with 128.

The CCAA championships are the last qualifying meet for the NCAA Division finals, which will be held March 12-15 in Orlando, Fla.