ALISO VIEJO, Calif. --- Biola Swim & Dive tried something new at the SOKA Invitational, but the result was just as it has been all season long - positive.

Head Coach Ryan Kauth wanted to challenge his squad to fight for one another and bring energy and support to all teammates during individual events on Saturday so he did what most coaches would deem unfathomable, omitted all relay entries.

That's right. Biola swam zero relays on Saturday, and to boot had its swimmers going in off events for an added layer to the challenge. But, you know what, they stepped up. Biola still managed to finish third of eight on the women's side with 249 total points and third on seven on the men's side with 294 total points. The combined tally of 543 was also third to Concordia Irvine and Fresno Pacific.

"I thought we had an incredible day," said Kauth. "It was really, really great. We are coming off what was probably the hardest week of training I've ever put them through. But today there was a competitive aspect to every single swim. It was not just laid back and relaxed, which shows how much the program has grown, both culturally and competitively."

The Eagles' swimmers managed 27 top-5 finishes on Saturday and came away with event wins from Gabe Weber, Liza Parahnevich and Raymond Kam.

Weber had the top time in the 200-freestyle, going 1:45.67 to beat the second-place swimmer from CUI by about a full second. Biola also took third (Jonas Huckabay) and fifth (Dylan Pon) in that event.

Parahnevich's first-place nod came in her longest swim of the season. She led a group of Eagles in the women's 1,000-freestyle, putting up a time of 10:55.67 to win the event going away. Anna Cohee was fourth in the 1,000 with her own time of 11:27.49.

Kam's victory in the 100-butterfly was perhaps the most impressive on the BU side all day, since it was by over one full second with a :52.40 to :53.48 advantage on the runner-up from Simpson. Patrick Waggoner went :54.63 to finish fifth.

The three winners had their typical strong days, with Weber also going top-3 in the 200-butterfly and 1,000-freestyle, Kam adding a top-5 in the 100-breaststroke and Parahnevich going top-5 in 100-breast stroke and 100-butterfly while also finishing runner-up in the 200-backstroke.

Other swimmers with multiple top-5 finishes include Huckabay (200-free, 100-free, 50-free),  Nathan Schwantes (200-fly, 200-breast, 200-IM) and Katelyn Harper (200-IM, 200-breast).

"My challenge to the team was to support one another and cheer each other on in the individual races," said Kauth. "It was fun to watch out men and women step up. I am excited about where we are at. A lot of people are making some really good improvements and I think we're about as fit as we've ever been as a team."

The men's team is off next week, while the women travel to Dixie State for a Saturday dual meet. It's the last event before the pinnacle event of the fall season, the Collegiate Winter Invite (Dec. 6-8).

The meet figures to be a good test for Biola as the Trailblazers are in the midst of reclassification from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I.

"Next week the women go up against a tough team transitioning to NCAA Division I," said Kauth. "It will be a challenge, but the women have been put in a position like this before and I fully expect them to rise to the occasion."