Tsai, Frith lead Pirates to Orange Empire title

The wins keep piling up for the Orange Coast College women’s swim

team, this time when it mattered most.

The Pirate women dominated the competition in the three-day Orange

Empire Conference championships, completed Saturday at Saddleback

College, by scoring 752 points. Runner-up Riverside had 525.

Freshman Sherry Tsai, a member of China’s national team, set her

third conference record during the three-day meet with Saturday’s win

in the final of the 100-yard backstroke (55.31). Tsai also set

records in winning the 200 individual medley Friday (2:05.04), along

with the preliminaries of the 50 freestyle Thursday (23.89). She went

on to win the final of the 50 free in 24.28.

Saturday, Tsai led off for Coast’s winning 400 relay team, which

included Ashley Lowden, Kimberlee Frith and Sara Natalizio. The

foursome also set an OEC record (3:36.94).

Frith won the 100 free (52.78) and Jenny Nelson touched first in

the 100 butterfly (58.71).

Tsai and Frith were named OEC Female Swimmers of the Year and OCC

co-coaches Don Watson and Dave Salo were honored with conference

Co-Coach of the Year accolades.

Nikki Stephens was second in the 100 backstroke (1:10.88) and

Shannon Maxfield came in second in the 1,650 free (18:37.80) for the

Pirates.

The Coast men tallied 550.5 points to finish second to OEC

champion Palomar (587.5).

Tyson Beamer (47.48) and Paul Frankenberger (47.65) finished first

and second in the 100 free. They also teamed with Billy Jolly and

Billy Swanson in Coast’s victorious 400 free relay (3:10.61).

Roger Wong finished third in the 200 breaststroke (2:14.27) while

Matt Henry took third in the 200 fly (2:01.60) Saturday.