Saturday, January 4
Riverside, Calif.
12:00 PM
California Baptist University
150
vs
150
Incarnate Word
Smirnova Leads Lancers to Tie with Cardinals
1/4/2020 3:55:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving, Swimming and Diving
RIVERSIDE – Rita Smirnova won three events to highlight California Baptist University's strong start to the 2020 season in a dual with Incarnate Word.
The Lancers and Cardinals finished tied with 150 points each on Saturday afternoon at the Lancer Aquatics Center. Smirnova paced CBU with three wins on the day in the 50 and 100-yard freestyles and the 400-freestyle relay.
Smirnova's first win came in the 50 free, as she hit the wall in 24.47 seconds. It was .41 of a tick faster than Lancer teammate Hannah Houlton, who took second in 24.88. CBU swept the top-three spots in the event, with McKenzie Kelly coming in third (25.46).
Less than 20 minutes later, Smirnova won the very next event – the 100 free – in 53.25. It was a bang-bang finish, just .04 of a second in front of UIW's Marie Ximena Conde Merlos (53.29), while Kelly took third again (53.50).
In the final race of the day, Smirnova helped secure the tie for the Lancers by swimming the third leg of the 400-free relay. Houlton and Rebeca Oviedo also swam the event in a victorious time of 3:34.35.
Nicole Cienega and Savannah Uhlir each won an event, as well, on Saturday. Cienega cruised to a win in the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:05.22, nearly five seconds faster than runner-up Kylie Morrison (2:10.11).
Uhlir won the 1-meter board with 237.68 points, while Madison Liu took second (216.08). Uhlir finished runner-up at 3-meter (226.13), while Liu (223.95) and Kiree Lowe (217.05) rounded out the top four.
Morrison came close to a win of her own in the 200 individual medley. Her runner-up time of 2:11.15 was just .06 of a second off Brenda Diaz Martinez (2:11.09), the winner from Incarnate Word. Cienega also took fourth in the event (2:11.52).
CBU moves to 1-2-1 on the year against a quality Incarnate Word squad that moves to 4-2-1. The Cardinals are a strong team coming off a third-place finish at the 2019 Coastal Collegiate Sports Association conference championship in 2019. UIW went on to take 39th at the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of American (CSCAA) National Invitational Invite.
The Lancers continue a three-dual homestand when Claremont-Mudd-Scripps visits the Lancer Aquatics Center Friday at noon. The Lancers will then host Western Athletic Conference foe Wyoming on Thursday, Jan. 16 at 1 p.m.
There were several other highlights on the day. The Lancers showed off their depth by taking second through fourth in the 200 free, 100 and 200 breast and 100 fly.
Mackenzie Mergel (1:55.41), Oviedo (1:57.85), Mackenzie Degn (2:01.33) and Houlton (2:02.53) swept second through fifth in the 200 free. Cienega (57.20), Morrison (59.43) and Hoyer (1:00.66) took second, third and fourth, respectively, in the 100 fly.
In the breaststroke, Emma Lindquist took second in the 100 (1:08.26) and was followed by Faith Brazil (1:09.96) and Lauren McKenna (1:10.16). Mergel (2:25.68) beat Lindquist (2:26.36) for second in the 200, while Alexa Melara came in fourth (2:27.07).
Buse Topcu (5:10.36) and Oviedo (5:12.46) also took second and third, respectively, in the 500 free. Topcu also took second in the 1650 (17:47.51), while Emily Longfellow (1:00.74) and Alexandra Walling (2:13.09) also took second in the 100 and 200 back, respectively.
CBU also nabbed second place in the first event of the day, the 200-medley relay (1:49.67), thanks to Longfellow, Brazil, Cienega and Degn.
The Lancers and Cardinals finished tied with 150 points each on Saturday afternoon at the Lancer Aquatics Center. Smirnova paced CBU with three wins on the day in the 50 and 100-yard freestyles and the 400-freestyle relay.
Smirnova's first win came in the 50 free, as she hit the wall in 24.47 seconds. It was .41 of a tick faster than Lancer teammate Hannah Houlton, who took second in 24.88. CBU swept the top-three spots in the event, with McKenzie Kelly coming in third (25.46).
💨 WIN 💨
— CBU Swimming & Diving (@CBUswim) January 4, 2020
Rita Smirnova wins the 50-yard freestyle from lane 7️⃣ with an unofficial time of 24.47 seconds. #LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/CzIP3KHzCu
Less than 20 minutes later, Smirnova won the very next event – the 100 free – in 53.25. It was a bang-bang finish, just .04 of a second in front of UIW's Marie Ximena Conde Merlos (53.29), while Kelly took third again (53.50).
In the final race of the day, Smirnova helped secure the tie for the Lancers by swimming the third leg of the 400-free relay. Houlton and Rebeca Oviedo also swam the event in a victorious time of 3:34.35.
💪💪💪
— CBU Swimming & Diving (@CBUswim) January 4, 2020
CBU's women cruise to a win in the final event of the day, the 400-yard freestyle relay. The Lancers A-relay team wins by a wide margin with an unofficial time of 3:34.35. #LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/Fc68iH3CLO
Nicole Cienega and Savannah Uhlir each won an event, as well, on Saturday. Cienega cruised to a win in the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:05.22, nearly five seconds faster than runner-up Kylie Morrison (2:10.11).
Uhlir won the 1-meter board with 237.68 points, while Madison Liu took second (216.08). Uhlir finished runner-up at 3-meter (226.13), while Liu (223.95) and Kiree Lowe (217.05) rounded out the top four.
Morrison came close to a win of her own in the 200 individual medley. Her runner-up time of 2:11.15 was just .06 of a second off Brenda Diaz Martinez (2:11.09), the winner from Incarnate Word. Cienega also took fourth in the event (2:11.52).
CBU moves to 1-2-1 on the year against a quality Incarnate Word squad that moves to 4-2-1. The Cardinals are a strong team coming off a third-place finish at the 2019 Coastal Collegiate Sports Association conference championship in 2019. UIW went on to take 39th at the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of American (CSCAA) National Invitational Invite.
The Lancers continue a three-dual homestand when Claremont-Mudd-Scripps visits the Lancer Aquatics Center Friday at noon. The Lancers will then host Western Athletic Conference foe Wyoming on Thursday, Jan. 16 at 1 p.m.
There were several other highlights on the day. The Lancers showed off their depth by taking second through fourth in the 200 free, 100 and 200 breast and 100 fly.
Mackenzie Mergel (1:55.41), Oviedo (1:57.85), Mackenzie Degn (2:01.33) and Houlton (2:02.53) swept second through fifth in the 200 free. Cienega (57.20), Morrison (59.43) and Hoyer (1:00.66) took second, third and fourth, respectively, in the 100 fly.
In the breaststroke, Emma Lindquist took second in the 100 (1:08.26) and was followed by Faith Brazil (1:09.96) and Lauren McKenna (1:10.16). Mergel (2:25.68) beat Lindquist (2:26.36) for second in the 200, while Alexa Melara came in fourth (2:27.07).
Buse Topcu (5:10.36) and Oviedo (5:12.46) also took second and third, respectively, in the 500 free. Topcu also took second in the 1650 (17:47.51), while Emily Longfellow (1:00.74) and Alexandra Walling (2:13.09) also took second in the 100 and 200 back, respectively.
CBU also nabbed second place in the first event of the day, the 200-medley relay (1:49.67), thanks to Longfellow, Brazil, Cienega and Degn.
👏👏👏
— CBU Swimming & Diving (@CBUswim) January 4, 2020
Strong start to the new year. We're wrapping up our 2020 opener with 🔟 50s!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/Eaf1LUausf
Players Mentioned
Breast/IM
/ Swimming and Diving
Fly
/ Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Sprint
/ Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Breast
/ Swimming and Diving
Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
IM
/ Swimming and Diving
Diving
/ Swimming and Diving
Sprint
/ Swimming and Diving
Breast
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free/Breast
/ Swimming and Diving
Free/Fly/Back
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free/IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Dist.
/ Swimming and Diving
Diving
/ Women's Swimming and DivingCBU Swim vs Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
Monday, January 08
California Baptist University Athletics Master Facility Plan Update
Wednesday, August 17
CBU Swim Dive Senior Day 2022
Sunday, January 23
CBU Swim & Dive vs Claremont-Mudd-Scripps College
Monday, January 10
