THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. --- Biola Swim & Dive picked up right where it left off as it began its spring semester at the Chris Knorr Invitational, hosted by La Verne. Head Coach Ryan Kauth's team won yet another combined team score championship with 1,401 total points.

The Eagles edged out second-place UC Santa Cruz, who had 1,290 total points. Biola won the women's meet, placing first of six teams with 766.5 points. That was the highest point total of any team at the meet. UCSC's men's team had 761.5 in their win of the men's event. Biola's men finished second with 634.5.

The meet began on Friday with the swims of the 1,650-freestyle. Biola was dominant, winning both races and having three women finish in the top-6. Gabe Weber went 16:38.25 to win the men's race by one second over a swimmer from the hosting Kingsmen. 

Katelyn Harper picked up the victory in the women's 1,650-freestyle with an 18:45.39. She and Kellynn Hayes took first and second with some close splits throughout. Hayes carded an 18:46.50.

Those swimmers came back late last night, only to return with the rest of the team for the reminder of the meet kicking off at 10 a.m. on Saturday morning.

Both teams had success in the relays on the day with the women winning the 200-medley relay with a 1:53.75 and the men winning the closing 400-freestyle relay with a 3:15.28. The men continue to have thrilling victories in those late relays, winning over UC Santa Cruz by just a half-second. 

Outside of the relays the Eagles earned 21 individual top-3 finishes on Saturdays, including six wins. Liza Parahnevich led the effort with wins in the 100-backstroke (1:00.33), 200-backstroke (2:09.36) and the 200-IM (2:12.26).

Anna Haaksma took a tight victory over Victoria Nguyenle of Pacific Lutheran with a 1:10.10 in the 100-breaststroke. Faith McAllister (2:17.25) and Audrey Vermeulen (2:23.52) went 1-2 in the 200-butterfly to pick up a bunch of points for the Eagles.

Kolya Vos picked up the final victory for the team, winning the women's 500-freestyle with a 5:20.22. It was a tight race with Vos winning by less than a second. Just like in the other distance freestyle event Biola had three swimmers in the top-6 of the 500. Katelyn Harper (5:27.13) finished fifth and Audrey Vermeulen sixth (5:29.60).

Second-place happened a lot for the men on Saturday with four different men finishing as runners-up in four different events. Alex Ness was the first to finish one spot off the top of the podium. He went :48.86 to place behind a UCSC swimmer who went :48.21 in the 100-freestyle.

Gabe Weber added another podium finish to his weekend with a second-place effort in the 500-freestyle (4:45.32). Finally, Ramyond Kam (:58.42 - 100-butterfly) and Tanner Smith (2:01.08 - 200-IM) finished between 1-2 seconds back in their respective events to close out the second-place efforts.

Next up for this Biola team is its own Biola Invitational at SPLASH! Aquatic Center on January 18.