UCLA’s dive team saw an impressive performance at their invitational meet on Saturday. They held their ground against USC and showed their stamina from a long week of competing.
Despite a strong USC presence at Pauley on Saturday, UCLA displayed podium finishes and standouts from many divers. Molly Brascia from UCLA finished second and earned 566.95 points for her team, contributing to UCLA’s power in the pool. Eden Chang followed suit with 468.55 points, certainly a tough opponent for USC to compete with.
Cheng’s performance was particularly notable considering that she was recovering from an injury, demonstrating her fierce determination and stamina.
UCLA’s team dived in to the 1m springboard, and Brascia held her place early on, putting pressure on Kate Miller from USC. Challenging UCLA’s biggest rival, Brascia finished only 34 points behind the USC winner and made a significant dent in contributing to UCLA’s wins.
The Bruins powered through in the 3m springboard as well; as Brascia had a standout performance of 313.95, leading the meet. Virginia Tiberti and Laura Fisher also contributed to UCLA’s impressive show against USC.
The platform segment closed the meet and reinforced UCLA’s strong presence as a diving force. Cheng achieved a season best performance and claimed a second place overall in the competition. She grabbed the silver with a total of 581.10, reinstating her position as one of UCLA’s most reliable divers.
Brascia topped her weekend with a fourth place finish, at 452.75 points and displaying her dominance in this sport. Fisher made another addition to UCLA placing in the top 10, as she placed seventh with 435.55 points.
UCLA walked away with four podium finishes and consistency from all their athletes. The future of diving looks up for UCLA, as standout performers such as Brascia and Cheng pose as dangerous threats for competitors.
UCLA looks forward to its next meet against Riverside in December, and should feel collected and confident diving into this one.
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Featured Image via Daily Bruin Archives
