IRVINE, Calif. - The Concordia University Irvine men's and women's swim teams took on the Sunbirds from Fresno Pacific on Saturday at Portola High School.  In a match-up between two programs with great respect for each other, CUI swam with a lot of confidence as they knocked off the short-handed Sunbirds.
 
"We enjoy swimming with this team very much," said CUI head coach Bert Bergen. "They are competitive, fast and always come prepared.  This was our best "racing effort" of the season.  We are training heavy now and not (just) focused on speed; the kids came out and fought through the discomfort and swam really well.  It's a lot of fun when each swim builds off of the one before it and everyone contributes."
 
The Eagles received contributions from familiar faces as well as a lot of newcomers.  Freshman Georgia Caraway led the women with victories in the 100 breast and 100 butterfly. Both were personal best times and her 58.97 fly swim is now tops in the PCSC, 1/10th of a second ahead of the second-ranked swimmer, teammate Breckynn Willis, who finished second in 59.07.  Georgia also led off the victorious 400 medley relay which included Breckyn, Jade Hughes and Faith Silzel who powered to a 54.97 anchor split.
 
Fellow freshman Hailey Garcia had a big day winning the 50 and 100 freestyles in season best times in leading 1-2-3 sweeps in both events.  Freshman Randi Peters broke out with her best meet of the season, posting season-bests in the same sprint events.  Faith Silzel is not slowing down as she recorded a season best 2:10.91 in her 200 IM (PCSC  No. 3) and chased FPU's Ioanna Palla all the way to the finish in an exciting 200 back.  The women vault to the top of the PCSC rankings with the No. 1 and  No. 2 times this year.  

In the 100 back, Katelyn Thomas continued to chip away at the NCAA "B" cut and retook the PCSC top ranking with her 58.97 as teammates Marley Hickson and Tori Schachle followed close behind for a 1-2-3 Eagle sweep. 
 
For the men, it was a much closer meet as the sprint heavy squads did battle all afternoon.  CUI freshman Christopher Haygood was victorious in his first 200 free of the season (1:46.72) and posted a season best in nabbing second in the 100 free (47.70).  Freshman Jon Sutherlin flipped over on his back and posted wins in the 100 (56.14) and 200 (2:02.64) backstrokes and junior Ryan Martines grabbed a win and a PR in the 100 breast (1:01.31).  Freshmen roommates Nic Depner and Beau Omdall went 1-2 in the 100 butterfly and junior Tim Townsend threw down the fastest split of the entire meet in the 200 free relay with his 21.2 swim.  Notably, senior Kobe Gall on the CUI "A" relay went a 21.7 split.
 
CUI is grateful that Fresno Pacific was able to make their second trip down to Southern California in two weeks.  The Eagles busy schedule continues with a noon match up against Cal Lutheran on Saturday, Feb. 26 at University HS in Irvine.  The CUI men will then take on the Irvine Novaquatics pro team on Monday, March 1 at Woollett at 9 a.m. 

For the full CUI men's swimming and diving schedule, click here.

For the full CUI women's swimming and diving schedule, click here.