COLLEGE SWIMMING : Cal Proves Too Much for Bruins

UCLA’s Michael Picotte, Michael Andrews and Greg Schaffer broke meet records for the second consecutive night, but the Bruins could not overcome California on Saturday at Belmont Plaza Pool in Long Beach.

The Bears outscored UCLA, 911.5-793, to win the 12-team Speedo Collegiate Cup West. USC was shut out of individual and relay titles and finished third with 509 points.

“I’m very pleased,” Cal Coach Nort Thornton said. “We got a little better every day.”

Kurt Eldridge and freshman Ugur Tanner led the Bears with dominant swims. Eldridge won the 1,650-yard freestyle in a meet-record 14 minutes 57.02 seconds, and Tanner, a Turkish Olympian, posted a meet record 1:45.49 in the 200 butterfly.

Bolstered by Larissa Herold’s meet record 1:58.23 in the 200 backstroke, Cal also won the women’s title with 798 points to USC’s 632. The Trojan women won three events to overtake third-place UCLA (587). A final exam review kept half of the Bruin women’s team from competing in Saturday’s finals.

During the three days of competition, 22 meet records were broken, including 11 by the UCLA men.

Picotte sped past teammate Brian Kurza in the final 35 yards of the 100 freestyle for a personal best and meet-record 43.39 seconds, the fastest time in the NCAA this season.

“For me, this (time) is proof that we work real hard,” Picotte said. “We gained an identity this weekend. Everyone on the team is swimming fast, and we know we’re going to do well. It’s been fun to be a part of that.”

With a powerful kick that kept him well ahead of his competitors after each turn, Andrews lowered the 200 backstroke record twice, the second time to 1:44.65.

Schaffer, the NCAA runner-up in the 200 breaststroke last season, broke the meet record twice in his specialty, the second time in 1:57.71.