Swim team wins
121-115 after loss and Florida practices
Nick Tabor
Issue date: 1/24/08 Section: Sports
The Charger swim team narrowly defeated St. Mary's College last Saturday, a positive follow-up to their steady training over Christmas break and their loss to Lewis University on Jan. 12.
They beat St. Mary's 121-115, with the final decision resting on the 200-yard freestyle relay at the end of the competition. They won the race by less than half a second.
"I looked at it as a great team victory," head coach Kurt Kirner said. "It was one where everybody had a role, and I felt like it was important for the overall team to realize that when it's that close, if anyone isn't competing to the best of their abilities, you can lose a meet like that."
Hillsdale also dominated in the 200-medley relay and in the 100, 200 and 500-meter freestyle heats.
They had less success at their Jan. 12 meet, in which they lost 86-46 to Lewis University.
Kirner said he was still relatively pleased with the outcome.
"I knew we were up against two teams that were much stronger than us," he said. Ashland University was also present to compete against Lewis.
"It was important that [Hillsdale's swimmers] realized they could do respectable," Kirner said. "They could give an optimal effort and get respectable times even though they were tired."
Although the Lewis meet followed on the heels of Hillsdale's Christmas break, Kirner said he didn't think his team suffered from the time off. They traveled to Florida near the beginning of January to train. There they practiced every morning and evening in an outdoor pool.
Kirner also conducted team-building sessions throughout the week.
"Even though it's not a meet, it is a highlight of our season," he said.
They did compete once, however, against the University of Vermont, a Division I school.
Hillsdale beat Vermont in the 200 freestyle relay, which Kirner said made them especially proud.
Before they left for Florida, Kirner required the swimmers to practice at least once each day and send him their practice logs.
He said a good share of the swimmers practiced with their high school teams. He gave the rest of them workout schedules.
Diver Charlotte Wolfe skipped the Florida trip and spent the break rehabilitating.
Wolfe, a junior, tore a ligament in her shoulder on Nov. 7 of last year. She skipped the last two meets of the year, and rejoined the team for the Lewis meet winning the one and three meter events. Against St. Mary's, Wolfe fell a little short on the one meter but regained victory for the three meter event.
She said her competitor at Lewis was suffering from the same injury afflicting Wolfe herself.
"It was nice to talk to her about it, since it was the same ligament that we both tore," Wolfe said.
She said she's glad to be competing again but has to limit her practice schedule.
"As long as I don't completely shred my ligament, the doctor said it would be the same surgery that I'll have at the end of the season as I'd have if I stopped now," she said.
Kirner said he prefers that Wolfe avoid difficult dives, to ensure that she'll be able to compete in the GLIAC confernece meet, which is held during the first weekend of February.
He said he'll taper the whole team's practice schedule as the competition approaches.
"I don't really have any concerns with it," freshman Alicia LeDuc said. "You go up there and do what you've been doing all season. We're ready for it."
Carthage College, Dec. 2:
Hillsdale placed sixth out of eight teams, scoring a total of 670.5 points.
The team took fifth in the 400-yard medley relay
Anne Verhoef took fourth place in the 200 freestyle and fifth place in the 100 freestyle.
Three of Hillsdale's swimmers placed in the top 10 for the 200 butterfly: Cassie Nielsen in third; Alison Lanctot in fifth; and Kelsey Gomberg in eighth.
Nielsen also placed fourth in the 500 freestyle; Meredith Scott placed fifth in the 100 breaststroke; and finally, Alicia Leduc took fifth in the 100 backstroke.
Lewis University, Jan. 12:
Hillsdale lost 46-86 to Lewis. Ashland University's team was also present to compete against Lewis.
Charlotte Wolfe won the 1-meter and 3-meter dives.
Verhoef beat her Lewis competitors in the 50 freestyle, coming in second overall.
Nielsen placed second in the 200 butterfly, and Scott took second in the 100 and 200 breaststroke events.
St. Mary's College, Jan. 19:
Hillsdale beat St. Mary's 121-115.
They won the 200 medley relay and the 200 freestyle relay.
Verhoef won the 100 and 200 freestyle heats; Nielsen won the 100 butterfly; LeDuc won the 100 backstroke; Scott won the 100 breaststroke; and Wolfe won the 3-meter diving.
They beat St. Mary's 121-115, with the final decision resting on the 200-yard freestyle relay at the end of the competition. They won the race by less than half a second.
"I looked at it as a great team victory," head coach Kurt Kirner said. "It was one where everybody had a role, and I felt like it was important for the overall team to realize that when it's that close, if anyone isn't competing to the best of their abilities, you can lose a meet like that."
Hillsdale also dominated in the 200-medley relay and in the 100, 200 and 500-meter freestyle heats.
They had less success at their Jan. 12 meet, in which they lost 86-46 to Lewis University.
Kirner said he was still relatively pleased with the outcome.
"I knew we were up against two teams that were much stronger than us," he said. Ashland University was also present to compete against Lewis.
"It was important that [Hillsdale's swimmers] realized they could do respectable," Kirner said. "They could give an optimal effort and get respectable times even though they were tired."
Although the Lewis meet followed on the heels of Hillsdale's Christmas break, Kirner said he didn't think his team suffered from the time off. They traveled to Florida near the beginning of January to train. There they practiced every morning and evening in an outdoor pool.
Kirner also conducted team-building sessions throughout the week.
"Even though it's not a meet, it is a highlight of our season," he said.
They did compete once, however, against the University of Vermont, a Division I school.
Hillsdale beat Vermont in the 200 freestyle relay, which Kirner said made them especially proud.
Before they left for Florida, Kirner required the swimmers to practice at least once each day and send him their practice logs.
He said a good share of the swimmers practiced with their high school teams. He gave the rest of them workout schedules.
Diver Charlotte Wolfe skipped the Florida trip and spent the break rehabilitating.
Wolfe, a junior, tore a ligament in her shoulder on Nov. 7 of last year. She skipped the last two meets of the year, and rejoined the team for the Lewis meet winning the one and three meter events. Against St. Mary's, Wolfe fell a little short on the one meter but regained victory for the three meter event.
She said her competitor at Lewis was suffering from the same injury afflicting Wolfe herself.
"It was nice to talk to her about it, since it was the same ligament that we both tore," Wolfe said.
She said she's glad to be competing again but has to limit her practice schedule.
"As long as I don't completely shred my ligament, the doctor said it would be the same surgery that I'll have at the end of the season as I'd have if I stopped now," she said.
Kirner said he prefers that Wolfe avoid difficult dives, to ensure that she'll be able to compete in the GLIAC confernece meet, which is held during the first weekend of February.
He said he'll taper the whole team's practice schedule as the competition approaches.
"I don't really have any concerns with it," freshman Alicia LeDuc said. "You go up there and do what you've been doing all season. We're ready for it."
Carthage College, Dec. 2:
Hillsdale placed sixth out of eight teams, scoring a total of 670.5 points.
The team took fifth in the 400-yard medley relay
Anne Verhoef took fourth place in the 200 freestyle and fifth place in the 100 freestyle.
Three of Hillsdale's swimmers placed in the top 10 for the 200 butterfly: Cassie Nielsen in third; Alison Lanctot in fifth; and Kelsey Gomberg in eighth.
Nielsen also placed fourth in the 500 freestyle; Meredith Scott placed fifth in the 100 breaststroke; and finally, Alicia Leduc took fifth in the 100 backstroke.
Lewis University, Jan. 12:
Hillsdale lost 46-86 to Lewis. Ashland University's team was also present to compete against Lewis.
Charlotte Wolfe won the 1-meter and 3-meter dives.
Verhoef beat her Lewis competitors in the 50 freestyle, coming in second overall.
Nielsen placed second in the 200 butterfly, and Scott took second in the 100 and 200 breaststroke events.
St. Mary's College, Jan. 19:
Hillsdale beat St. Mary's 121-115.
They won the 200 medley relay and the 200 freestyle relay.
Verhoef won the 100 and 200 freestyle heats; Nielsen won the 100 butterfly; LeDuc won the 100 backstroke; Scott won the 100 breaststroke; and Wolfe won the 3-meter diving.
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