ELSAH, IL – The Principia College women's swimming team swam to their first dual meet win of the season while competing against Williams Baptist College and Lindenwood University – Belleville. The women defeated Williams Baptist (129 – 35) but lost to Lindenwood – Belleville (82 – 111). The win was the first dual meet win for the women since January 2016. With 15 "best" swims, virtually every one contributed a "best" to the win.
The relay team of sophomores
Olivia Burbee and
Mallory Saylor, freshman
Emma Hanser and fellow sophomore
Elizabeth Hull opened the meet with a 2:44.12 200 Medley relay. Both Saylor and Hull contributed a "best" swim. Saylor's 40.55 50 Breast split was a season best and Hull's 36.19 was a lifetime best split. Next up, junior captain
Katie Lovegren won the 500 free with a time of 6:16.98 almost getting her lifetime best time and instead settled for her best in-season time ever.
The 100 Back saw two more "best" times turned in. Junior
Glynnis Harley swam a 1:14.08 to miss her lifetime best by 1 second, so instead it was a lifetime best in-season time. Burbee dropped time in her 100 Back to a 1:21.90 and bring home a season best time. Sophomore
Lydia Pierce added a season best of her own in the 100 Breast. She took second place with a 1:19.08.
The 50 Free saw three more "bests". Lovegren proved she isn't just good at the distance events when she went a 30.23 in the 50 which was a lifetime best in-season time. Burbee scored her second "best" of the meet with her season best 33.29. Saylor added her second "best" to the tally with her 34.11 season best time. After a short break, Burbee, Saylor and Hull all added season best times in the 100 Free. Burbee went 1:15.65, Saylor went 1:16.96 and Hull went 1:31.69 for their respective season bests. Pierce continued to show improvements in the 200 Breast as she swam a 2:56.98 for a season best time.
In the 200 IM both freshman
Sanaya Baldauf and Harley swam to season best times. Baldauf went 2:45.41 for the win and Harley went 2:51.41 for second place. With 15 "best" swims, the women put together a nice meet that rewarded them with the win against Williams Baptist.
Next Saturday, Nov 17, the women will travel to Bloomington, IL for the Illinois Wesleyan Invitational. The meet will start at 2p.
