LA MIRADA, Calif. – A one-month layoff had little, if any, affect on Azusa Pacific as the Cougars returned to the pool for the first time since the holiday break and rolled past Biola University in a dual meet stages at the La Mirada Aquatics Facility.

The Cougars won 11 of 13 events, including the 1-meter dive where sophomore Kassi Duncan posted an NAIA-leading score of 236.45 points.

As has been the case much of this season, All-American Kaylen Hewko paced the Cougars by winning 3 individual races, the 200 free (1:57.85), 500 free (5:16.20), and the 100 butterfly (58.96). Likewise, freshman Victoria Gibbs played a hand in 3 event victories, continuing her outstanding rookie season. Gibbs took the 50 (25.39) and 100 (55.29) frees and then anchored the Cougars to a victory in the 200 free relay (1:44.80).

"It's been awhile since we've competed and we trained very hard last week when we came, so I wasn't sure what would happen today," said Cougar coach Robert Fleming. "It turned out to be our best meet of the season which really surprised us."

In her first meet back with the Cougars, sophomore Stacy Wong, who missed the first half of the season while studying in the university's High Sierra Program, not only won the 100 backstroke but qualified for the NAIA Championships with a 1:04.68.

In her first appearance in the pool as a Cougar, freshman Malarie Morgan won the 200 individual medley (2:18.40). Fellow freshman Simone Garcia took the 400 individual medley and in the process qualified for the NAIAs with a 4:44.96.

"Simone set the tone for us today by beating a very good April Smith from Biola," added Fleming. "That victory alone got us into an optimistic mindset that carried us as the meet unfolded."

The Cougars travel to Orange County next weekend to compete in a triangular in Aliso Viejo against Chapman University and meet host Soka University. The Jan. 23 meet is scheduled to start at 11 a.m.