Blake, Ng Pack Set CMS Records in Narrow Loss for Women's Swim and Dive

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Ella Blake set a new CMS record in the 200-yard freestyle, Emma Ng Pack set a new record in the three-meter dive, and Augusta Lewis won an exciting race in the 100-yard breaststroke by one-hundredth of a second, but it wasn't quite enough as the Athenas swimming and diving team dropped a close decision in a two-day dual with Pomona-Pitzer by a final of 191-162.

Blake's 1:51.06 in the 200 free passed the old mark of 1:51.89 which had held for 15 years since Sarah Heine set it in 2006. She earned first place in the race by almost two full seconds as well, easily beating out Avery Turney of the Sagehens, who came in second with a 1:52.84. 

Ng Pack, meanwhile, recorded 476.95 points in her 11 three-meter dives to just surpass the old program record of 474.20, held by Carli Lessard. For the dual meet, though, only six dives were scored and she finished a close second to Ruby Epstein of Pomona-Pitzer (288.65 to 279.00), after defeating Epstein yesterday in the one-meter. 

The closest race of the day came in the 100-yard breaststroke, where Augusta Lewis moved into second place in CMS history with a time of 1:03.28 to just barely edge out Alexandra Gill of Pomona-Pitzer with a 1:03.29. Lewis also had a dominant win in the 400 IM in 4:21.91 to take first by almost eight seconds, after winning the 200 IM yesterday by just over four seconds. 

Jameson Mitchum was also an individual winner for CMS on Saturday in both backstroke events. She earned first in the 100 back, clocking a time of 57.19, almost a full second ahead of Abigail Liao of Pomona-Pitzer in second place, and then took first in the 200 back in 2:04.74, with teammate Anna Werts coming in second in 2:07.75.

In addition to the records set by Blake and Ng Pack, there were several other swimmers who moved into high positions on the CMS lists over the course of the two-day event. Katelyn Dang now stands in fifth in the 100 fly, with Kelly Prawira sixth in the 200 breast. Izzy Doud is fourth in the one-meter dive and Makenna Parkinson is fifth. The 200 and 400 medley relay teams both moved into seventh place, while the 400 free relay now places tenth. 

Blake also came out of the weekend as the new Axelrood Pool record holder in both the 200 free and the 500 free, while Lewis now holds the facility records in both IM events and the 100 breaststroke. 

CMS will be idle for the next month for final exams and the holiday break, and will return to action on Jan. 7 at the California Baptist Distance meet.