Gilbert takes fourth at Chapman's opening dive competition

REDLANDS, Calif. – Chapman University senior diver Kiernan Gilbert earned a fourth-place finish in the women's 3-meter finals at the Redlands Dive Invitational on Saturday at the Thompson Aquatic Center. Gilbert placed fourth out of 14 divers in the 3-meter event with an overall score of 166.30. She also earned a ninth-place finish (out of 20 participants) in the 1-meter event to lead the Panthers in their first diving competition of the season.

Gilbert's two strongest dives from the 3-meter board were also her most difficult – a forward 2½ somersault pike and a backward 1½ somersault – netting her 37.20 points each from the judges.

Freshman Jamie Ralph was not far behind Gilbert with an eighth-place finish and an overall score of 130.55 in the 3-meter. The rookie earned mostly 6.0s from the judges in her final attempt, a forward half-somersault pike. Ralph was also Chapman's runner up in the 1-meter with an overall score of 135.20, just points less than Gilbert at 139.80.

On the men's side, junior Kale Wiik was the Panthers' top finisher, earning ninth place in the 3-meter event with a score of 118.45 and placing 13th out of 18 competitors in the 1-meter with a score of 126.80. Wiik had his best performance of the day in his second 1-meter dive, a forward two-somersault tuck that earned a score of 35.20.

The Panthers will compete in their next full swimming and diving meet – their SCIAC opener – at Pomona-Pitzer Colleges on Saturday, Dec. 1 at 11 a.m.

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

Complete Results: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/swimdive/2012-13/files/RedlandsDiveInvite.htm

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