The Biola swim team rounded out the 2012 Malibu Invitational hosted by Pepperdine University at the Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool with several first-place finishes, many of them claimed by underclassmen.

Sophomore Christine Tixier sailed easily into first place out of 15 overall with a 2:07.63 in the women’s 200-yard butterfly event, beating out second place Loyola Marymount University by a full three seconds. Later in the day, Tixier also scored first in the women’s 50-yard butterfly with a 25.93, barely missing the meet record set in 2009 of a time of 25.92.

The first place trend continued with freshman Eric Sirjord claiming first in the men’s 200-yard butterfly with a time of 2:03.12. His nearest opponent finished with a time of 2:05.60.

Biola fell behind during the women’s 200-yard backstroke but managed to scrape by with sophomore Megan Nerud’s ninth-place 2:17.22, freshman Abby Blake’s 2:17.71 and freshman Sarah Shepard’s 2:20.05.

The Eagles rallied back though with sophomore Austin Sarna grabbing second place with a 2:18.43 in the men’s 200 yard breaststroke.

Biola continued to stack up first place finishes with senior Chris Stutzman’s 1:49.40 in the men’s 200-yard freestyle and 21.22 in the men’s 50-yard freestyle.

Freshman Brandon Hughes followed this pattern by placing first in both the men’s 50-yard butterfly and the men’s 100-yard backstroke with a 24.22 and a 56.75, respectively.