FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A week after kicking off their season in sunny Southern California, the Cougars headed over 2,000 miles north for a pair of dual meets against Division II foe Alaska-Fairbanks, dropping both days to the host Nanooks.

Day one saw the Nanooks narrowly win the 200 medley relay and slowly pull away from there, but was not without its highlights for the Cougars.  Gillian Sato won the sprint that is the 50 freestyle in 24.22 seconds.  Sydnee Wilson would come through with a win in the 100 freestyle a couple events later, touching the wall in a time of 52.87.  The final event of the first day, the 200 freestyle relay, came down to a photo finish, with the Cougars' quarter of Wilson, Michaela Maemura, Ellie Sivesind, and Sato finishing with a time of 1:40.02, just two hundredths of a second behind Alaska's A team. 

Wilson provided the first big number for the Cougars on day two, winning the 200 freestyle in 1:58.78 while Pierson Reiger finished a strong third at 2:04.68.  Wilson would pick up her third win of the weekend in a second running of the 100 free, nearly matching her time from the day before with a 53.29.  Maemura would claim a top spot on the podium next, running away with the 100 backstroke in 59.28, a winning margin of over three seconds.  And to close out the weekend, the relay team of Wilson, Maemura, Sivesind, and Sato again took first place, winning the 400 freestyle relay in a time of 3:37.45.

The Cougars will look to build off those highlights this coming weekend when they come home to Slauson Pool for their annual home meet, this time taking on Soka University, an NAIA school from Orange County, as well as D2 powerhouse Cal State East Bay.  The pool is located just southwest of campus at the corner of 5th Street and Pasadena Avenue, and the team will recognize their seniors at the meet.