LOS ANGELES - In their first home meet of the 2023-24 season, LMU swimmers battled the 2023 PCSC Champion Pepperdine Waves on Friday afternoon at the Burns Pool. 

At the start of the meet, senior Heidi Ly was honored as she will be graduating early at the end of the fall semester. Ly has been the high point-scorer for the Lions throughout her three years at LMU, achieving First Team All-PCSC honors in the 100 and 200 backstroke events and the 200 individual medley.  She was also selected to the PCSC All-Academic team all three years with a 3.92 GPA while majoring in Psychology with two minors in Studio Arts and Asian Pacific Studies.    
 
In the competition, the Lions were led by senior Abby Shaw and sophomore Lia Murray, who both claimed victories in their individual events. Shaw established a personal best time in winning the 200 individual medley in 2:12.30, currently the sixth fastest time in the conference. Murray easily won the 100 backstroke in 59.09, with teammate Ly touching second in 1:00.72 for a one-two Lion finish. Murray is currently ranked fourth in the conference in the event.
 
The Lions demonstrated depth in all the freestyle events, starting with a 2-3-5 showing in the 1650 freestyle, with freshman Mackenzie Kawashiri leading a trio of Lions with a second-place finish in a personal best time of 18:45.01. Ryann Dorris followed in third, and Mati Dixon in fifth.

In the 200 freestyle, Natalie Hogenboom and Erin Kau scored, placing fourth and fifth. Then, in the 'splash and dash' 50 free, Maddie Nguyen led a trio of Lions, touching in second in 25.24, followed closely by Murray in third in 25.27 and Lauren Kim in fifth with a 25.56. Kim led the Lions scorers in the 100 freestyle, picking up third-place points in a season-best 55.2, with freshman Holly Lehr adding a fifth-place point in 55.91. Hogenboom and Kau returned to the pool for the 500 freestyle, placing third and fifth.
 
Several additional newcomers contributed to the Lion's score as freshman Hayden Cutler placed second in the 100 butterfly and currently ranks sixth in the conference. Sophomore transfer Alena Sharp contributed third-place points in the 100 breaststroke, and Freshman Adele Kopis took fourth in the 200 IM, currently ranking 10^th fastest in the conference in this event.