POMONA, Calif. - After a three-week layoff, the CUI swimming and diving teams got back on the blocks at Pitzer College on Friday.  The Sagehens were fresher with their season newly underway while the Eagles are in the middle of their fall grind and even though the team results favored the home squads, Concordia posted some really impressive results.
 
Sophomore Faith Silzel won two events including the 1000 free in her first time competing in that particular event. She touched the wall in 11:03 and also emerged victorious in the 200 back with a time of 2:14 after leading wire-to-wire in both events.  The CUI women posted a 1-2 finish in that event as Roseryn Empremsilapa raced to the wall in 11:06 to out-touch the top Pomona-Pitzer swimmers.  Silzel nearly completed a sweep on the day taking second in the 500 free with a furious finish that came up only 1.3 seconds behind the victor. 
 
Maddie Dodge had a great meet as well.  The senior had battled the flu for the past week but powered her way to a pair of second place finishes in the 100 free (54.8) and 200 free (1:57.7) and then broke through with a win in the 200 IM (2:11.8).  
 
On the men's side, the sprinters came in ready to go.  Timothy Townsend and Alberto Cortes from the class of 2022 went 1-2 in the 50 free and 3-1 respectively, in the 100 free.  Times were very good for both as they showed that the Eagles will be tough at the PCSC meet in February when they are at full strength.  Townsend also posted a personal record in his 100 back (54.2) one his way to locking down a second place finish. 
 
Sophomore standout Kyle Benjamin also had a solid day cruising to a win in the 500 free (4:45) in addition to claiming two third place finishes (1000 free, 200 IM). Kobe Gall's 4:51 in the 500 gave the Eagles their second 1-2 finish of the meet.  
 
Notable performances were turned in by Alicia Wintermeyer who raced to a 57.4 on the 4x100 free relay and freshman Amanda Foley, who put down a PR in her 50 free (25.96). Senior Sayah Faridina was runner-up in the 100 fly (59.90) and Mikayla Jean posted a personal best in the 200 fly with a time of 2:15.
 
The men got some good swims from Taylor Steffen ('21) in the 1000 free (second place, 9:58), Gall in the 200 free (1:45.9), Armando Cadena ('22) in the same 200 (1:47.9), and newcomer Braeden Glor, who swam a smart and strong 1:58.5 for third place in the 200 back.
 
The men's 4x100 free relay closed the meet with a solid three-second drop off their season best as Townsend (47.1 PR), Benjamin (49.4), Gall (48.3) and Cortes (46.5) swam to a 3:11.48 to take second place.
 
The team heads to the University of Redlands for a dual meet on 11/2 against the Bulldogs.  The first event starts at 11 am.    For the full CUI swimming and diving schedule, click here.