Athenas cruise to SCIAC wins

The CMS Athenas opened SCIAC competition with double-dual meet wins over Chapman University and Whittier College on Saturday at Whittier.

CMS won each of the day's 13 events, including 1-2-3 sweeps in the 400 medley relay, 200 free, 400 IM, 200 butterfly, 100 free, 200 backstroke and both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events.

First-year divers Maia Presti, Carli Lessard and Mary Lynn Clark placed 1-2-3 in both 1-meter and 3-meter diving. Presti's 3-meter score of 237.85 was a personal record and less than 28 points away from an NCAA Zone qualifying mark.

Michele Kee won the 200 free and 200 butterfly with the butterfly time slipping under the NCAA "B" cut. Molly Loftus nearly slipped under the 18:00 mark in the 1650 yard freestyle event, clocking at 18:00.73.

In the sprints, senior Dana Shaker won the 50 free with fellow senior Helen Liu taking the 100 free.

The women's 400 IM proved to be an exciting race, with Mackenzie Leake overcoming a 2.4 second deficit in the final 50 to out-touch teammate Erin MacLean. Leake finished in 4:48.67, but MacLean took solace knowing that her 4:49.12 was a personal record.

Other event winners were Kelly Ngo in the 200 backstroke, LillyBelle Deer in the 500 free and Emily McKinnon in the 200 yard breaststroke.

Relay winners for CMS were the 400 Medley Relay of Erin MacLean, Stephanie Doi, Annika Jessen, Deer and the 200 Freestyle Relay of Kee, Ngo, Doi, Liu.

CMS will resume competition after exams and the holiday break with a SCIAC home meet versus the University of LaVerne on January 11.