By Christina Teller
Daily Bruin Contributor
Saturday wasn’t just another meet for the UCLA
women’s track and field team ““ it wasn’t just
about going for the win. Up against their crosstown rival USC, they
had a streak to defend.
And, for the eighth year in a row, the Bruins defeated the
Trojans, this time by a score of 86-68.
“We are a good team, and no matter how it looks,
we’re going to try to find a way,” jumping coach Monte
Rucker said. “This team just kept chipping away at
USC.”
Coming into the meet with impressive dominance in the sprints,
the Trojans were favored to win on paper. With USC sporting NCAA
leaders in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 800 meters and the 4-by-100
meter relay, UCLA had to dig deep.
Which they did.
“I’m just so proud of how they competed as a team
and as a group,” Bruin head coach Jeannette Bolden said.
“We had some great individual performances. But more
importantly, we competed like a team.”
People needed to come through. The Bruins addressed that demand
in a big way.
One key performer was UCLA high jumper Darnesha Griffith, who
notched two personal records, an automatic NCAA bid and an Olympic
trials qualifying mark.
“At one point she was in her third jump, and looking at
maybe finishing second, and she came through with a double PR
(personal record) performance,” Rucker said.
“That’s heart and soul.”
The adrenaline and pride that erupted after every amazing
performance carried over to every other team member.
Trailing USC’s Nathasha Danvers in the 100 meter hurdles,
UCLA’s Michelle Perry used that fire to charge through the
finish line.
“She was so fired up with the others, it just spilled over
into the hurdles,” Bolden said. “Michelle just had so
much energy from them.”
The race was so close that both runners finished in 13.20. The
finish line photo determined that Perry won by the slimmest of
margins.
“When I get my acceleration going after the first three
hurdles, there’s no telling what I can do,” Perry said.
“My goal was to perform above and beyond our predictions, and
that’s what I did.”
This meet was also about finding strength that was not initially
apparent.
Seeing USC’s Ana Lopachiuch collapsed after the 3,000
meters and knowing the 1500 meters was quickly approaching, UCLA
distance coach Eric Peterson felt his Bruins could sweep the
event.
In came late entry Elaine Canchola, who led for the first 800
meters of the race until Katie Nuanes took the lead at the end.
“Our plan worked and we ran her down to the ground,”
Canchola said of Lopachiuch. “I was so pumped that we swept
that event. She was supposed to score and she didn’t, and
that was really exciting.”
Senior thrower Seilala Sua ““ competing in all four
throwing events ““ gave a spectacular all-around performance
in her last USC-UCLA dual meet.
Clinching first place in the shot put (56-feet-1 inch), javelin
(159-1) and discus (208-4), Sua displayed her dominance, even
though she described her performance as “medium to
okay.”
“I thought Sua wasn’t really on today, and that just
shows what a champion she is, with big marks all over the
place,” throwing coach Art Venegas said.
“I’m just glad that we got the points and USC
didn’t, so that’s what matters,” Sua added.
“I’m really glad that while I was here we beat them
four years in a row.”
The win revitalized the Bruins’ confidence.
“I think our indoor championship really helped this team
realize how good we can be,” Peterson said.
“You’re starting to see the effect that it’s
having throughout the team.”
On paper the Bruins weren’t supposed to win this meet. But
paper isn’t where the meet unfolded, and the Bruins proved
themselves in the true test, out on the track and in the field.