SAN DIEGO - For the second time in two weeks, LMU Swimmers returned to the San Diego State Aquaplex on Friday morning for another competition against the reigning Mountain West Champion Aztecs along with Pepperdine University. 

 

Two weeks earlier in the same pool, the Lions opened the new year with a victory over PCSC rival Alaska-Fairbanks in a four-way dual meet competition that also included Fresno State. In this Friday's competition the Lions fell to both the Aztecs and Waves but were able to record numerous season best times as they approach the PCSC Conference Championship in three weeks.   

 

Among those achieving season bests was first-year student Adele Kopis who placed fourth in the 100-butterfly behind three Aztec swimmers, but ahead of Pepperdine's quartet of flyers. Kopis's time of 58.74 shaved a tenth off her 'tapered' time at the La Verne Invitational in November. Also hitting season best times were Ashley Deabler in the 100-freestyle, Alena Sharp in the 100-backstroke, and Mati Dixon in the 200-freestyle.  

  

As soon as the competition at SDSU wrapped, the Lions reboarded their bus to travel 10 miles up the road to the University of San Diego for the opening day of the WCC Cup versus Pepperdine and USD.  Although falling to both WCC rivals, LMU swimmers continued to improve on season best times over the two-day competition. Leading the Lions were Lydia Hawthorne and Ashley Deabler, who placed in the top three in their individual races improving on their season bests. Hawthorne placed third in both the 400-individual medley and the 200-butterfly while Deabler was the runner-up in the 100-butterfly and took sixth in the 200-backstroke.   

 

Mati Dixon also took significant drops in her times in the 400-individual medley and the 200-butterfly scoring team points, both with seventh place finishes. Lia Murray and Abby Shaw both added fourth place points to the team total in the 100-backstroke and 100-butterfly events. 

  

The Lions will compete at home this Saturday against Westmount University in the final dual meet of the season starting at 12:00 p.m. (PT) at the Burns Pool.  LMU will celebrate the careers of their four seniors:  Bebe Chososer, Anna Doherty, Maddie Nguyen and Abby Shaw in a ceremony following the competition.