REDLANDS, Calif. – Racing in their first meet in nearly a month, the CUI Eagles swim and dive teams took on the University of Redlands Bulldogs in a final tune-up before the PCSC Championships in three weeks.  It is the last dual meet in the careers of the class of 2021 and they made sure they went out in style. 
 
The tired crew earned some momentum with the 1650 freestyles and kept it going as they won both the women's (128-89) and men's (133-68) meets in convincing fashion.  The men won nine of 13 events while the Eagle women won seven of 13.  It was a healthy showing by a squad that has put in hundreds of miles of training and are very ready to gear up for the postseason.  
 
Kyle Benjamin (100 IM, 400 IM), Faith Silzel (200 free, 400 IM) and Hailey Garcia (50-100 free) each won two events on the day.  Kyle's 100 IM is a new CUI school record and the 400 IM was a smooth swim for the man who is ranked No. 1 in that event in the PCSC.  Faith blasted a 1:57.7 in the 200 moving her up to No. 3 in the PCSC and her 400 IM was a fine effort for her first of the season.  Hailey continues to battle through fatigue in her first collegiate season and looks to make a name for herself at PCSCs in three weeks.  
 
Tim Townsend went a season best 21.50 in his 50 free jumping to No. 3 in the PCSC. He then came right back to win the 100 backstroke as the Eagles swept the first four places in that event.  Albe Cortes had his best swim of the season, winning a wire-to-wire 100 free in a season best 48.70.  Freshman Georgia Caraway nearly completed a tough double winning the 100 back merely 10 minutes after placing second in the 100 fly, where she equaled her PR finishing second by 1/10th of a second.  
 
Senior Taylor Steffen and freshman Jon Sutherlin, who've been logging some steady distance miles, strutted their stuff in the 1650.  Turning together at the 500 (5:03), they powered the next two 500s and recorded the fastest two mile swims in the PCSC this year.  Taylor dipped below the 17-minute mark posting a 16:56 and Jon was a few strokes behind in 17:03.  
 
Ryan Martines continues to drop time with each outing in the 100 breaststroke as his 1:00.12 swim is a new PR and No. 4 in the conference.  Senior Alicia Wintermeyer led from the start in taking the 100 IM with fellow senior Mikayla Jean right behind for second.  Christopher Haygood won the 100 butterfly for the men and led off the victorious 200 free relay.  Faith Silzel's PR 24.9 anchor on the women's relay spurred them to a win to close the meet.  
 
Senior Johnna Encarnacion was second in the women's 1m Diving and newcomer, Austin Wade won the 1m competition for the men.  
 
Other notable efforts were turned in by Breckynn Willis (season-bests in both the 100 and 200 free), Mariko Edwards (season-bests in the 100 breast and 100 butterfly), Valeria Ugaz (second overall in the 1650, plus a season-best in the 100 breast), and Lindsey Fruhwirth (fourth place in the 400 IM).
 
The team begins preparations for the PCSC Swimming and Diving Championships at the Woollett Aquatics Center, April 14-17.  The men's team finished second in 2020 while the women were sixth and both look to improve on those finishes in 2021. 
 
CLICK HERE for the full swimming & diving schedule.

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