RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Saturday was bound to be a dual to be remembered either way for California Baptist University, as it was Senior Day. The No. 6 Lancers made sure it was a day the program would never forget by upsetting second-ranked UC San Diego by a score of 173-127.
 
"This is the biggest dual meet in CBU history today," said Coach Rick Rowland, who founded the program back in 1999. "Both teams came to swim and dive today. Now we'll see what we're made of when we meet them at NCAAs, they are a very deep team and one of the best we've ever faced."
 
To make it even sweeter, the men won and knocked off fifth-ranked UCSD 161-137. It is the first time the Lancers swept both UC San Diego teams in one dual.
 
"We've had many undefeated seasons going into the last dual meet of the season against UCSD and lost, so to win both was a historic day," Rowland said. "It's a banner day in CBU history, I couldn't be prouder or more excited for the kids going into the conference meet.
 
"We've been prepping for this meet all week, and we really stepped up today and had some great swims," Rowland concluded.
 
Alena Rumiantceva provided CBU with plenty of big points by winning every race she swam, including three individual events. She started with a dominant breaststroke performance in the 400-yard medley relay, helping the team of Andrea Laliena, Kristina Tchernyschev and Yosita Hapsari to a win in three minutes, 53.57 seconds – just off an NCAA Division II B cut (3:52.67).
 
"We knew it was going to be a tough meet, but we knew we just had to go out and swim our hearts out," Laliena said.
 
Rumiantceva continued to dominate the breaststroke, winning the 100 in a consideration time of 1:04.89 and then the 200 in 2:21.59 – just .10 of a second off another B cut. She also won the 400 individual medley in 4:33.24.
 
Hapsari continued to lead CBU in her last meet at the Lancer Aquatics Center. The senior won both of her individual events with a consideration time in the 200 freestyle, clocking in at 1:53.74 seconds and the 100 free in 52.99 – just off another B cut (52.35).
 
Laliena, a freshman, swept both backstroke events for the Lancers, winning the 100 in 59.22 and the 200 in 2:08.36.
 
"It was a really exciting day for Andrea to win both those races," Rowland said. "It was huge for the team, too."
 
Christie Halverson continued her breakout season with a victory and consideration mark in the 1000 free (10:27.96). She also took second in the 500 free (5:08.63) and 400 IM (4:34.41).
 
Lauren Skinner and Bre Schlenger split the wins on the diving boards. Skinner won the one-meter with 241.95 points, while Schlenger won the three-meter with 244.57 points and took second on the other board (241.43). Skinner would also go runner-up on the three-meter (236.02).
 
"It's fun and exciting to be able to contribute to these wins," Dive Coach Jeff Couto said. "It reminds us and the swimmers that we are all one team. We all rely on each other and that's what a team is all about."
 
While all those victories played a role in the Lancer victory, the real tide turner was CBU's balance in several events. CBU went one, two, three in the 100 back and first, second and fourth in the 200 breast.
 
"The key was all the girls who came in second, third and fourth place," Laliena said. "I had a few races where we went one, two, three and that was really exciting."
 
Laliena is referring to the 100 back, which she won, and saw teammates Kylie Mihld (1:00.73) and Kiri Harvey (1:00.99) take second and third.
 
"That was the biggest momentum shifter for us today, going one, two, three there," Rowland said.
 
Robin Smallwood drew some of Rowland's highest praise for taking second in the 200 breast (2:23.39) and third in the 100 breast (1:06.92).
 
"She didn't win any races, but Robin was just unbelievable," Rowland said. "We needed those swimmers where that second swimmer would come in and beat their opponent."
 
Mihld also took third in the 200 back (2:09.39) and Melody Coleman took fourth in the 200 breast. Courtney Chacon finished runner-up in the 200 butterfly (2:06.93) and third in the 400 IM (4:35.90). 
 
RESULTS