LA MIRADA, Calif. --- The Biola swim teams returned to action with the first meet of the new year, hosting NCAA Division II Grand Canyon University on Friday afternoon at Splash Water Park in La Mirada.

The Eagles, who resumed practicing on Monday with a week of intense workouts, were no match for the Antelopes, a team which boasted a number of top NCAA Division II swimmers. Grand Canyon won the women's competition 135-68 and the men's competition 148-39.

Among the highlights of the day was a strong swim by junior April Smith in the 100 breaststroke, as she won the event in 1:09.11. It was the lone victory for the Eagles on the afternoon.

Sophomore Rachel Sirjord recorded her first NAIA qualifying time, swimming a 1:04.18 in the 100 backstroke. Sirjord, who suffered with illness and injury during the first half of the season, earned the automatic qualifying standard in the first race of the new year.

Biola returns to the pool on Saturday, traveling to California Baptist to take on the Lancers and Chapman University in a double dual.