Ella Blake - Women's Swim and Dive

CLAREMONT, Calif. - In a tight battle of top-15 programs, the CMS women's swimming and diving team prevailed in a two-day meet against Pomona-Pitzer to stay undefeated the SCIAC, with first-year Ella Blake coming up big to win both distance freestyle events and provide 18 key points to the CMS winning total.

The distance events were one area that the Athenas could have been vulnerable for the big annual meet with the Sagehens, with junior Mia Syme, who has won the 500 and the 1650 at both SCIAC Championships she has participated in over her first two years, studying abroad in the fall. Blake helped fill the void, though, and came through with a win the 500 on Friday and another win in the 1650 on Saturday to help the Athenas maintain their distance dominance. 

In Friday's 500, Blake earned a win by 2.3 seconds, earning a time of 5:05.80 to set a new Haldeman Pool record. She edged out teammate Christina Campbell in second place, and finished almost four seconds ahead of the closest Sagehen.

In Saturday's 1650, she earned her second win of the weekend by a convincing margin of over 10 seconds, touching the wall in 17:47.40 to finish well ahead of second-place Katherine Lauerman of Pomona-Pitzer in 17:59.70. In between the two distance events, Blake also added a second-place finish in the 200 free, providing four more points to the CMS winning margin, giving her 22 total over the two days. 

CMS will have a month off before it next returns to action at the Cal Baptist Distance Meet on Jan. 10, followed by a road SCIAC meet at La Verne on Jan. 11.