JACKSONVILLE, IL – The Principia College women's swimming team headed to Illinois College for their first swim meet of the season. They took on host Illinois College, Knox College and Millikin University in a quad meet. Despite losses to all three teams (66-146 vs IC, 74-127 vs Knox, 69-148 vs Millikin), the women swam to 13 "best" swims. It was a solid beginning to the season.
The women opened with the 200 Medley relay. Sophomores
Olivia Burbee and
Mallory Saylor, freshman
Emma Hanser and fellow sophomore
Elizabeth Hull swim the relay to a 5
th place finish. Hull anchored the relay with a lifetime best 37.70 for the first "best" swim of the meet. Junior captain
Katie Lovegren add the second "best" swim of the meet when she swam a 22:03.14 for the mile swim. It was her lifetime best in-season time.
The next three "bests" came in the 100 backstroke. Freshman
Sanaya Baldauf went a 1:14.01 for a season best time, while junior
Glynnis Harley went a 1:15.03 to post a lifetime best in-season time and Burbee contributed a season best with a 1:25.69. Sophomore
Lydia Pierce add her first "best" and the team's 6
th with a 1:20.31 time in the 100 breaststroke. It was a season best time and earned her a 2
nd place overall finish. Pierce came back two events later to capture another "best". This time it was a lifetime best in-season time of 27.78 in the 50 freestyle. The time also gave her the win in the event. The 50 free also saw Saylor earn her first "best" of the season with a season best 34.80.
After a short break, the team got back to good swimming adding another "best" in the 100 Free. Saylor earned her second and the team's ninth with a 1:17.97. A few events later, Lovegren added her 2
nd "best" with a season best 6:35.72 in the 500 free. Hanser added the 11
th team "best" with her 100 butterfly time of 1:50.74 earning her a season best time. The final event – the 200 Free relay – the women earn the final two "bests" of the meet. The relay squad of Lovegren, Harley, Baldauf and Pierce went a 1:58.18, good for 3
rd place overall. Baldauf and Pierce both added "bests". Baldauf's 29.79 was a season best for her and Pierce's 27.32 as a lifetime best in-season time for her.
Every woman that competed swam at least one "best" time at the meet. So while the final scores were not in their favor, they performed well and had a good start to their season.
The women will be back in action on Saturday, Nov 10 when they host their first home meet of the season. They will be taking on the women from Lindenwood University – Bellville and Williams Baptist College. The meet will start at 1 pm at the Principia College natatorium.
