SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - In the 2017-18 season opener, the UC Santa Barbara men's swimming team faced off against the men of University of Southern California. The UCSB team finished in a close second to the PAC-12 team with a final score of 125-137.
The meet started with the 200 medley relay where the UCSB "A" team (1:30.59) got out-touched with a difference of 0.52 seconds. Billy Mullis (23.27) lead the team with the backstroke leg, followed by Marcello Quarante (26.07) taking the breakststroke leg, Yoessef Tibazi (21.44) in the butterfly leg, and Mason Tittle (19.81) for the freestyle leg. The USC "A" relay (1:30.07) took first.
Logan Hotchkiss placed first in the 1000 freestyle (9:28.93) with teammates Joseph Lastelic (9:40.28) following in third and Jake Rollo (9:45.10) finishing fourth.
Erin Vanbrocklin received third place behind two Trojan men in the 200 freestyle (1:40.33). Michael Wang (1:42.84) and Theo Andrews (1:44.02) followed close behind taking fourth and fifth places.
Billy Mullis took third in the 100 backstroke (49.75) with teammate Douglas Nogueira following in fifth (50.83).
Marcello Quarante placed second in his first collegiate individual event, the 100 breaststroke (57.42) with teammate Joe Kmak not far behind finishing fourth (58.85).
Kevin Mendoza snatched first place in the 200 butterfly (1:50.24). Chris Nolan came in fifth (1:52.15).
Mason Tittle out-touched three Trojans giving him first in the 50 freestyle (20.57). Yoessef Tibazi followed behind the USC men with a fifth place (21.16).
Mason Tittle took another first place but this time in the 100 freestyle (44.96) with teammates Michael Wang (46.71) and Kian Brouwer (46.75) finishing third and fourth.
Billy Mullis took second in a close race in the 200 backstroke (1:47.92). Douglas Nogueira came in a few seconds after in fourth (1:51.83).
Marcello Quarante took his first collegiate individual win in the 200 breaststroke (2:04.79). Christopher Havton came in fifth (2:11.17).
Logan Hotchkiss took his second win of the competition in the 500 freestyle (4:33.30) followed by teammate Eric Vanbrocklin placing third (4:40.32).
Yoessef Tibazi snatched his first win of the day in the 100 butterfly (48.22). Kevin Mendoza came in fourth (49.72) and Kian Brouwer came in fifth (50.92).
Billy Mullis (51.45), Yoessef Tibazi (51.77), and Douglas Nogueira (52.53) took second, third, and fifth in the 100 IM; an event added to this meet.
Finishing out the meet the UCSB "A" team (3:01.45) fell short to USC "A" team (2:58.67). Micahel Wang swam first, then Kian Brouwer, Eric Vanbrocklin, and Mason Tittle.
The Gaucho men will be back at UCSB's Campus Pool next Saturday, October 14 for their Intrasquad and Alumni races.
