ORANGE, Calif. – In its first double-dual meet of its young history, Azusa Pacific used a hearty rally to down host Chapman University and sweep the dual meet in which the Cougars also strolled past Soka University at the Allred Aquatics Center Saturday morning.

The Cougars beat Chapman, 116-113, winning 8 of 13 events after spotting the Panthers 26 diving points to open the competition. Azusa Pacific downed Soka, 129-58.

"I'm very pleased with how the girls came back from 26 down to beat Chapman," said Azusa Pacific head coach Robert Fleming. "Our divers didn't have the opportunity to practice last week because of a photo shoot at our home pool. So we didn't use them in the meet, and while that put us in a hole at the outset, the girls swam very strong and made up the difference."

Sophomore Kaylen Hewko paced the Cougar contingent by winning the 200 fly with a 2:17.12 and swimming the third leg on the Cougars' victorious 200-medley relay that clocked a 1:53.87. A transfer out of Santa Ana College, Hewko also recorded a 2:17.85 in the 200 backstroke, finishing second overall to Soka's Stephanie Dill.

Senior Lauren Wichhart became the fifth individual Cougar to qualify for the NAIA Championship Meet in March by swimming a season-best 2:33.88 to win the 200 breaststroke.

Water polo specialist Janelle Stacey lent a hand to an ailing swim team and assisted by wining the 50 free (26:36), part of a 15-point Cougar tally in that event alone. Freshman Carrie Dotson was second (26:54) and freshman Alex Mason was fourth (27:42).

Stacey, who was swimming competitively for the first time in 4 years, was also second overall in the 100 freestyle (58.46), while Dotson was third (59.78).

"I've always looked at water polo as an emergency fill-in for swimming," said Fleming, "and we were down 3 swimmers because of injuries and illness. I asked for volunteers, got a couple from the water polo team, and Stacey proved to be the difference.

Sophomore Carla Hill took the 500 (5:31.52) and 1000 (11:34.16).

"We're getting healthy which is important," said Fleming. "We worked pretty hard with double-days when we returned from the break Jan. 7. So we were beaten up for awhile."

The Cougars return to the pool Saturday, Jan. 31, when they compete in the Pacific Collegiate Swimming Conference Time Trials in the Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool at Pepperdine University in the Malibu, Calif.