University of Alaska Fairbanks Athletics

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The Alaska women's swimming team wrapped up its road trip to Southern California Saturday with two event wins and seven top-five finishes, while dropping three dual meet decisions to two NCAA Division I schools and one of the West Region's top D-II teams at the Hillman Aquatic Center.
 
Alaska kicked Saturday's meet off with a win in the 200-yard medley relay in 1 minute, 46.91 seconds, thanks to legs swam by freshmen Victoria Adams (Anchorage, Alaska/Accounting) and Nga Nguyen (Wiesbaden, Germany/Psychology), junior Margot Adams (Anchorage, Alaska/Political Science) and senior Bente Heller (Hamburg, Germany/Psychology). The Nanooks later earned an individual event victory when Victoria Adams took the top spot in the 100 backstroke (58.24).
 
The team scoring was a struggle for the fatigued Nanooks at the end of a two-week trip to Southern California. Host Cal State Bakersfield swept the day with three dual meet wins, including defeating Alaska (5-7, 4-2 Pacific Collegiate Swim and Dive Conference) 212-76. Loyola Marymount beat the Nanooks for the fourth time this season and second time this week, 163.5-88.5. UC San Diego also beat Alaska, 218-67.
 
Victoria Adams shared her win in the 100 back with LMU's Kjirsten Magnuson, who tied her with an identical time of 58.24. It's the second time this season the two athletes have squared off in the event. Adams won the first showdown on Nov. 2 at the Patty Center Pool, beating Magnuson 58.23 to 58.38.
 
Victoria Adams later added a second-place finish in the 200 back in 2:07.16, placing behind UC San Diego's Anji Shakya, who won in 2:05.69. Junior Gabi Summers was fifth in the same race with a time of 2:11.80.
 
Heller added two top-five finishes of her own with a fifth-place showing in the 50 freestyle (24.76) and a third-place nod in the 100 free (53.28). Margot Adams also contributed a top-five finish, grabbing second place in the 100 butterfly with a time of 57.90.
 
Alaska returns home this week and will take a two-week break before resuming competition with its first home meets since November. Cal Baptist comes to the Patty Center Pool on Jan. 24 and Jan. 25 for back-to-back dual meets.