Gilbert, Carubis provide highlights as Panthers open in the pool

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Chapman University's women's swimming and diving teams sprung into their first intercollegiate competitions of the season this weekend. The Panthers' swim team placed seventh out of eight teams at the Redlands Invitational on Saturday with an overall score of 53.5.

Meanwhile, sophomore diver Kiernan Gilbert earned a pair of third-place finishes at the Cal Baptist Diving Invite on Saturday and a fifth-place finish at the Malibu Invitational, hosted by Pepperdine University on Friday.

Freshman swimmer Alex Carubis highlighted the Panthers' day as the team's top point-scorer at the Redlands Invitational, earning a sixth-place finish in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:16.96. She also garnered points with a ninth-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:03.57.

Junior Samantha McLaughlin had a productive day in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke events. McLaughlin was just three seconds off the school record in the 100 with a time of 1:12.24 and an eighth-place finish. She completed the 200 in 2:37.90, as well.

Another newcomer Kirsten Spicer proved to be the fastest Panther in the pool on Saturday as Chapman's top finisher in both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle. The freshman sprinter completed the 50 yards in just 26.72 – only 2 seconds off the Chapman record – to go along with a time of 57.72 in the 100.

Other notables were junior Amanda Morris's ninth-place finish in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:20.41, as well as senior Alex Chan who placed 12th in the 100-yard butterfly with a 1:05.23 mark.

In diving, Gilbert earned a combined score of 176.80 in the 1-meter and 160.80 in the 3-meter to earn third place in each competition at the Cal Baptist meet. The sophomore was also the Panthers' top finisher at the Malibu Invitational on Friday with a score of 185.5 in the 1-meter.

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

Results:
Redlands Invitational: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/wswimdive/2011-12/files/RedlandsInvite.pdf
Malibu Invitational: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/wswimdive/2011-12/files/MalibuInviteDive1.pdf
Cal Baptist Diving Invite: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/wswimdive/2011-12/files/CBUDivingInvite.pdf

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