The Simon Fraser University Men's and Women's Swim teams traveled to La Mirada, California this weekend, taking on Biola University in back-to-back dual meets at Lansing Pool. On Friday, Biola posted a 98-68 win in the men's meet and a 106-64 win for the women, followed by another pair of victories on Saturday, with the men's score at 81-66 and the women's at 86-62. Despite the tough final outcomes for the Red Leafs, several athletes turned in standout performances, hinting at a promising season ahead.
 
Evan Vellescig, a freshman from Coquitlam, BC, wasted no time making an impression, winning the 50-yard breaststroke on Friday with a time of 27.35, the fourth fastest in school history. Vellescig returned Saturday to earn first place in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 51.89 and contributed to a second-place finish in the 200-medley relay, swimming alongside Lukas Buck, Thomas Bakica, and Alex Petriw. Junior Luka Tomic from Kitchener, ON, led the team with a win in the 500-yard freestyle and joined the victorious 400-yard medley relay with Buck, Bakica, and Petriw. Tomic also anchored the second place 400-yard freestyle relay along with Buck, Dominik Kwiecien, and Petriw. On Saturday, Tomic maintained momentum, placing first in both the 100-yard freestyle (48.27) and 100-yard butterfly (51.75), and swimming to a second-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle relay with Petriw, Bakica, and Buck. Additionally on the men's side, senior Thomas Bakica from Whitehorse, YK, collected an individual win in the 200-yard individual medley on Saturday (2:00.85) and finished second in Friday's 100-yard individual medley.
 
For the women's squad, senior Alyssa Whitmore from Newmarket, ON, stood out with a sweep of sprint fly and free races on Friday, winning both the 50-yard freestyle (24.80) and 50-yard fly (26.39), and topping the podium Saturday in the 100-yard butterfly (59.79). Sophomore Keira Kennedy from Calgary, AB, narrowly missed setting a Lansing Pool record during her 500-yard freestyle win on Friday, clocking in at 5:11.92. Freshman Madi Connell, also from Calgary, was second in the 50-yard freestyle on Friday (25.41) and competed on multiple relays, helping lead the 400-yard medley squad of Ryan Leslie, Mateah Purdy, and Whitmore to second. On Saturday, Connell anchored the 200-yard medley relay with Leslie, Delrae Vetter, and Whitmore for another second-place finish, captured her own first place in the 100-yard freestyle (54.63), and contributed to a winning 200-yard freestyle relay with Whitmore, Laine Perry, and Nicole Petrisor.
 
With rising underclassmen joining seasoned veterans in bringing home individual wins, the weekend's results showed growth of both squads. The Red Leafs will be back in action on Saturday October 18^th at Conyonview Pool in La Jolla, California as they take on the University of California San Diego Tritons.