FAIRBANKS, Alaska --- Abby Blake and Christine Tixier picked up right where they left off last season by winning events on the first day of Biola's first dual meet of the season.
 
The Eagles flew up to Alaska to showdown with the Nanooks of the University of Alaska-Fairbanks over the course of the next two days. The events featured in the day-one dual were not too kind to BU, who only won two of the 11 events against UAF's A and B squads.

The Nanooks outscored the Eagles' women's squad 143-62.
 
Tixier and Blake were two small bright spots for Biola, as Blake placed first by a wide margin in the 1,000-freestyle (11:03.34) and Tixier took the 100-breaststroke by the slimmest of margins (1:09.02).
 
Outside of those two swims and quick and close third place finishes by Angela Kirschner in the 50- and 100-freestyle did not have much going for them against the force brought on by the home team.
 
Kirschner's third place finishes highlighted her ability to remain consistent in the short distance sprint races. She finished with times that were nearly identical to her runs at the Pacific Collegiate Swim and Dive Conference pentathlon two weeks ago.
 
Tixier and Kirschner, along with Kelly Arth and Sarah Shepard, combined for one of the most exciting races of the evening in the 200-freestyle relay. The Eagles quartet combined to swim a 1:42.62 to finish second in the final swim of the day, just 0.93 seconds off the pace.
 
The Eagles and Nanooks compete again tomorrow at noon in the Patty Center Pool.