WSU swim heads to Northern California for meet

Cougars will participate in Chick-Fil-A Invite this weekend in Fresno

WSU+and+University+of+Arizona+swimmers+get+set+on+the+starting+blocks+for+the+womens+500+freestyle+heat+Oct.+14%2C+2017+in+Gibbs+Pool.+

RYAN PUGH | DAILY EVERGREEN FILE

WSU and University of Arizona swimmers get set on the starting blocks for the women’s 500 freestyle heat Oct. 14, 2017 in Gibbs Pool.

SIGMUND SEROKA, Evergreen reporter

For its second meet of the season, WSU swimming will participate in the Chick-Fil-A Invite in Fresno, California, on Friday and Saturday.

Five other teams will compete in the meet including host Fresno State University, University of California, Berkeley, San Diego State University, San Jose State University and the United States Air Force Academy.

WSU will see the San Diego State Aztecs for the second time this season. The Cougars took on the Aztecs and University of Nevada, Reno, on Sep. 21 in their first meet of the year and finished third.

A day later WSU grabbed its first victory of the season, narrowly defeating SDSU 129-122. The Cougars had first-place finishes in 10 of the 13 events they participated in the meet against SDSU.

It was also the first win under new Head Coach Matt Leach. He said he hopes the team carries the momentum from their first victory into the Chick-Fil-A Invite.

“We’re looking to pick up where we left off,” Leach said. “We had a great crimson and gray meet and we’re looking to carry that into an invitational-style meet where we race a Friday morning session, a Friday afternoon session and a Saturday morning session.”

Leach said this meet is another opportunity for building and finding the areas where his team excels and where it still needs to improve. The confidence is high and the team is performing strong, he said.

On the opposing side, Fresno State is excited to have some fresh competition in the pool to kick off the season.

“We’re excited,” Fresno State Head Coach Jeanne Fleck said. “We’re mixing things up a little bit more this year with Cal and Washington State and Air Force coming out. It should be fun to have some new teams and it’s always a great way to start the season.”

The meet in San Diego will begin with an 11 a.m. session Friday followed by a 6 p.m. session. The meet will conclude with one more session at 10 a.m. Saturday.