Peirsol leads Tigers

ATHENS, Ga. ? Former Newport Harbor High swimming star Hayley Peirsol led the charge as Auburn captured the NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving championship on Saturday, edging Georgia by three points, 518.5-515.5, at the Gabrielsen Natatorium.

It marked the second-closest finish in the history of NCAA swimming and diving. In 2001, Georgia and Stanford were within 1.5 points of each other.

Peirsol, a junior at Auburn, broke the pool record in the 1,650-yard freestyle with a time of 15:49.48. It was the Tigers’ fourth national title in the last five years.

Auburn and Georgia outdueled third-place Arizona (415), fourth-place California (291) and fifth-place Stanford (209).

Peirsol, a 2005-06 U.S. National Team member, was a gold and silver medalist in the 2005 World University Games.

She is the sister of Aaron Peirsol, also from Newport Harbor, who won gold medals in swimming at the 2000 and 2004 OIympics.