ORANGE, Calif. – Occidental swim and dive faced Chapman in a dual meet on Saturday, January 11. The Tigers celebrated senior day in Orange at Allred Aquatics Center with the impact of the current wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
 
The men fell 165.5-95.5 and the women lost 196-66. Despite the scores, the Tigers battled against all odds.
 
As evacuation notices popped up in the Eagle Rock area Tuesday morning, campus closed – for the health and safety of student-athletes staying on campus, faculty and staff.
(A sign put together by an Oxy fan at Saturday's meet.) 

The swim and dive team rushed south to San Diego, staying in the area until Saturday morning. The Tigers rushed back to campus before the meet, grabbing any essentials for competition, then hit the road down to Orange. After all that travel, there was still a meet to be swam.
 
Seniors Matthew Spruance and Carter Park were the only swimmers to pick up more than two victories in the pool. Spruance picked up three individual wins and a relay victory, while Park was apart of the first-place relays and a pair of individual victories. Connor Grant also added a pair of wins on Saturday.
 
Sarah Radle continued her dominance in the 200 free, picking up the victory with a time just north of two minutes. Amanda George added a freestyle victory in the 500, and Kamille Pellettieri won the 100 breast and was two seconds off her season best at the Oxy Invite.
 
During the break, the Tigers celebrated their nine seniors, Joshua Biggs, Nicolas Cantrell, Nathalie Kerrigan, Caroline Agostini, Candace Farling, Audra Baruch, Spruance, Park, Radle and Pellettieri. Chapman gifted flowers to the seniors and announced a fundraiser to aid victims of the wildfires.

(Audra Baruch (middle) receiving flowers at senior day.)

The Tigers return to the pool January 25 on the road to face Cal Lutheran in a dual meet.