Oct. 30, 2003

Malibu, Calif. -- Loyola Marymount's swimming squad opened its 2003-04 season at the Pepperdine Wave Invitational on October 25th, competing against Pepperdine, Cal Baptist, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Freshman Lauren Mathewson led the Lions in the morning sprint meet, while senior Krista Zabor paced LMU in the afternoon distance meet.

In the sprint meet, Mathewson claimed the 100-yard backstroke title with a time of 1:00.04. It was the Anaheim, Calif., native's first collegiate meet. Senior Marie Walters finished seventh in the same event with a time of 1:05.80.

Mathewson also won the 50-yard backstroke with a time of 27.53.

Zabor placed second in the 50-yard butterfly, earning a mark of 27.36.

She also placed second in the 100-yard butterly, finishing in 59.72. Sophomore Jenna Cruzat finished sixth in the same event with a time of 1:02.12.

Freshman Amanda Luciano took third in the 100 free with a time of 55.04, and junior Miranda Mooers finished eighth in the same event at 57.62.

LMU took two second place finishes in the sprint relay events. Finishing at 1:51.73, the team of Mathewson, Morgan Finley, Zabor, and Luciano earned second in the 200 medley. The time missed setting a new school record for the event by .03 of a second. Kadee Whipple, Bayley Diamond, Mooers, and Breanne Melconian clocked a time of 1:44.05 in the 200 free, also good for second place.

In the afternoon distance meet, Zabor claimed the 200 individual medley, swimming the event in 2:11.45. Finley finished sixth in the same event, clocking a time of 2:20.52 in her first collegiate meet.

Zabor and Finley teamed up again for a second and sixth place finish in the 200 breaststroke, posting times of 2:29.16 and 2:34.00, respectively.

Melconian gave the Lions a second place finish in the 500 free, finishing in 5:22.35. The junior also claimed third in the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:16.61.

LMU earned a second and third place finish in the distance relays. In the 400 free, the team of Whipple, Diamond, Mooers, and Melconian finished in 3:46.27, good for second. In the 400 medley, Mathewson, Finley, Zabor, and Luciano teamed up for a third place finish with a time of 4:04.68.

The Lions will next face Pepperdine and Nevada-Reno in their first dual meet on November 1st in Malibu, Calif at noon.

-GO LIONS-