MALIBU, Calif.-- The CSU Bakersfield swimming and diving teams spent the whole first day of the Malibu Invitational stuck in traffic. A day of traveling and a good night's sleep was all junior Paola Hernandez needed to put on a show Saturday at the Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool. Hernandez dominated the freestyle sprints and won a total of four heats and three events for the Roadrunners.
“After a nine-hour bus ride last night, due to the mudslides, we really swam great today,” said Chris Hansen, Director of Swimming for CSUB. “Unfortunately, we missed the first day, but, we really shined today.”
Hernandez, a junior from Lompoc, Calif., led the 'Runner women by finishing first in the 100 and 200 freestyle as well as the 100 IM. Her time of 24.50 in the 50 free was good enough for a tie for second overall and lowered Hernandez's personal best by 0.13 seconds in the event.
Hansen was also impressed with the supporting cast for the ladies as well: “Dylana Milobar, Kelsey Lange, Nicolette Goncalves, Chrisy Vo, and freshman Darya Samiee all had big swims for us today. Dylana winning the 50 breast is setting her up for her the 100 breast at WAC.”
Milobar, a senior from British Columbia, was the only other 'Runner to win for the women on Saturday, but the rest of the crew posted solid times. Milobar won the 50 breast in 30:54 while Goncalves posted a season best in the 200 back (2:09.20). Samiee swam a personal best in the 200 breast with a 14th-place finish (2:32.59).
On Friday, the 'Runner divers competed as they left the night before and beat the traffic. Carlee Burks and Tyler Greenwald both earned wins for the 'Runners in their diving events. In an uncommon format, Burks and Greenwald posted scores of 310.00 and 296.15, respectively, in a six-dive competition featuring dives on both the 1- and 3-meter boards for both the men and women.
“On the men's side, we had some really big swims from Lovre Soric, Bryce Timonera, and Mihael Vukic,” Hansen said. “Their times will hold up well in the WAC. It was great to see two freshmen, Justice Kramer and Greg Lee, come up with wins today.”
Vukic had a double-win day in Malibu as he won the 50 (22.66) and 100 fly (50.13). His time in the 100 fly was over two seconds better than the second-place finisher while he narrowly edged Timonera in the 50 fly.
Soric took the 200 back for CSUB with a time of 1:50.28 while Timonera lowered his personal best in the 100 back by almost half of a second to earn the win (50.71). Timonera is now exactly one second outside of the CSUB Top 5 all-time list in the event. Kramer finished first in the 50 back with a time of 24.36 while Lee took the 200 breast (2:11.62).
Hansen also spoke about the momentum gained by one of his veteran swimmers on Saturday: “Junior Jack Richey-Luna should be super confident going into the Triton Classic. He has been swimming faster than he ever has this season.”
Richey-Luna went outside his comfort zone and swam the 200 free in a time of 1:55.26. The junior sprinter posted a time of 21.90 in the 50 free to finish seventh for the 'Runners. Richey-Luna's time of 48.95 in the 100 free was also close to his personal best, just as was his 50 free time.
The Roadrunner men's and women's 300 free relay teams both earned victories in their heats to end the day. Hernandez led off for the women and was followed by Lange, Goncalves, Vo, Megan van Raalte, and Samiee as the sextet finished second overall in a time of 2:28.72. The 'Runner men's group consisted of Timonera, Vukic, Soric, Kramer, Joe Cobarrubias, and Richey-Luna. CSUB's men finished the race in 2:07.71 as they finished first in their heat and overall.
Bakersfield's men will return to action next week when the 'Runners head to Los Angeles to face No. 11 USC in a dual on Oct. 23. The 'Runner women will compete again in two weeks when CSUB plays host to WAC foe Idaho the morning of Halloween.
~GoRunners.com~
