University of Alaska Fairbanks Athletics

LA MIRADA, Calif. — The Alaska women's swimming team started 2014 off strong Saturday, picking up three dual meet victories with seven event wins and 20 top-five finishes in a quad-meet with Biola, Fresno Pacific and Pomona-Pitzer at the La Mirada Regional Aquatics Center.
 
The Nanooks (5-2) defeated Biola 179-88, their third win over the Eagles this season. They also beat Fresno Pacific 155-119, and Pomona-Pitzer 142-137. Saturday's action was the Nanooks first of three meets over eight days during a two-week extended trip to Southern California.
 
Freshman Victoria Adams (Anchorage, Alaska/Accounting) was a three-time winner Saturday, taking the top spot in the 100-yard backstroke (59.79 seconds), the 200 back (2:10.03) and the 200 individual medley (2:11.00). Senior Bente Heller (Hamburg, Germany/Psychology) was a two-time winner with victories in the 50 and 100 freestyles in 24.68 and 53.54, respectively. Also picking up wins for the Nanooks were freshman Kathryn Pound (Pahiatua, New Zealand/Business Administration) in the 500 free (5:16.33) and junior Margot Adams (Anchorage, Alaska/Political Science) in the 100 butterfly (58.84).
 
Alaska had 20 total top-five finishes on the day. Three of the team's four relay squads earned top-three finishes, including a 2-3 finish in the 200 medley relay by the "A" and "B" teams. The "A" team of Heller, sophomore Eileen Audette (Seward, Alaska/Fisheries), Margot Adams and junior Danielle Lyons (Prince Albert, Saskatchewan/Biological Sciences) finished in 1:49.50 – just 0.37 seconds behind event winner Fresno Pacific.
 
Freshman Nga Nguyen (Wiesbaden, Germany/Psychology) made her debut as a Nanook Saturday, swimming in two relays and two individual events. Her best performance came in the 100 breaststroke, where she garnered a second-place finish with a time of 1:09.33.
 
Pound added a second-place finish in the 1,000 free in 10:54.32. The Nanooks had three finishers in the top five of the event, with Lyons (3rd, 11:08.66) and sophomore Nina Mullin (Moss Beach, Calif./Biological Sciences) (5th, 11:35.67) following behind Pound. Margot Adams had second place finishes in both relays (200 medley, 200 freestyle) and 100 back (1:01.36), behind sister Victoria.
 
Alaska travels to Los Angeles Wednesday to get back in the pool against two NCAA Division I teams. The Nanooks will face host Loyola Marymount for the third time this season, and take on Pacific Collegiate Swimming and Diving Conference foe Pepperdine for the first time during the 2013-14 campaign.