California Baptist University
Malibu Invite
Freshmen Shine at Malibu Invite
10/13/2018 8:45:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving, Swimming and Diving
MALIBU, Calif.— Standout performances from Rebecca Oviedo and Rita Smirnova highlighted California Baptist University's Saturday at Pepperdine's Malibu Invite.
Oviedo won both the 200 and 500-yard freestyles, with respective times of one minute, 54.58 seconds and 5:04.31. Smirnova was victorious in the 50 free (24.82) and took third in the 100 individual medley (1:01.68).
Despite only competing in half of the Malibu Invite, CBU took fourth with 484.5. points in a nine-team event that included Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount, Concordia University of Irvine, Azusa Pacific, Dixie State, Cal Lutheran, Occidental and Whittier.
The Lancers will have a split squad next week, with the swimmers heading to UNLV for a dual Saturday at 10 a.m., while the divers host the Lancer Dive Invite at the same time.
Led by Oviedo, CBU swept first through fifth in the 500 free. Buse Topcu took second place by about half a second in 5:04.79, while Mackenzie Mergel (5:14.93), Mallory Brubaker (5:15.40) and Grace Oeser (5:16.72) round out the top five.
The Lancers added a win in the 200-medley relay, as Smirnova, Andrea Laliena, Robin Smallwood and Emily Longfellow clocked in at 1:49.98.
"Everyone is doing what they are supposed to be doing right now. We are right where we need to be at this point and are setting up well for the rest of the season," Assistant Coach Lisa Siregar said.
There was another strong showing in the 200 breaststroke for CBU, as it took third through fifth. Alexa Melara led the Lancers in third (2:29.28), while Emma Lindquist (2:29.77) and Smallwood (2:30.68) followed in right behind her.
Three Lancers finished in the top five of the 100 backstroke. Longfellow placed third in 59.17, while Laliena (59.68) and Kylie Morrison (1:00.60) touched in fourth and fifth. Longfellow (58.44)and Morrison (59.54) placed third and fifth in the 100 butterfly (58.44), as well. McKenzie Kelly (25.07) and Jenna Washburn (25.25) also took third and fifth in the 50 free.
The Lancers had two other top-five finishes individually: Mergel took third in the 200 free (1:56.30) and Alina Jungklaus took fifth in the 100 IM (1:02.17).
Players Mentioned
