Triple meet results in Lewis defeat
Though Charger swimming lost to GVSU - 2nd in the GLIAC - they defeated conference rival Lewis
Jancy Nightingale
Issue date: 10/30/08 Section: Sports
The Charger swim team fell to host Grand Valley State University, but out-scored Lewis University in a double-dual meet Saturday. Despite the defeat, the team swam exceptionally well keeping their head above the water and continually encouraging improvement.
Freshman Linda Okonkowski said they swam very well as a team, for having tough practices prior to the meet and head coach Kurt Kirner said he was pleased with the team's performance.
"The single most important part of the meet was that they were there to swim all the way to the end," Kirner said.
He said this was especially evident in the last event - the 400-yard freestyle relay. The "A" team, composed of sophomore Alicia Leduc, freshmen Katie Lamb and Michaela Wolfe, and senior Anne Verhoef won the event clocking in at 3:45:44. Each member of the A team had individual splits under a minute; 11 of the 16 split times from the event fell under one minute.
Individual first place victories included Verhoef in the 50 freestyle and junior Meredith Scott in the 200 breast stroke event. Okonkowski claimed second place in both the 200 freestyle and 200 Butterfly, and freshman Nikki Dyer took second in the 1000 freestyle event.
Despite feeling under the weather, senior diver Charlotte Wolfe won the three-meter diving event, and took third in the one meter. She said she hopes to improve her future scores, and consequently boost the team's score
Because it's early in the season, the team continues to focus on refining their stroke and race and swimming their best every meet. Kirner said he wants the team to push themselves and keep moving forward in harder practices and with future competition.
Kirner said the next meets, especially their first home meet Friday November 7 against University of Findlay and Albion College, will be great opportunities for the team to swim above the competition in preparation for conference finals, which take place in February. Kirner said the team needs to go out, do the same job, and do it better each time.
"Each meet is like a dress rehearsal for the final stage show," Kirner said the team's preparation for conferences next semester. "They need to challenge themselves meet after meet, event after event, if they want to meet their goals."
Senior Kathryn Hogan said they would love to beat Findlay at home, since they are well matched against the Chargers. Findlay currently ranks ninth in the GLIAC, and the Chargers are up at seventh. Okonkowski added that the team has pretty high expectations for winning the upcoming meet.
"As a team we're ready and we're going to be ready to win," she said.
Freshman Linda Okonkowski said they swam very well as a team, for having tough practices prior to the meet and head coach Kurt Kirner said he was pleased with the team's performance.
"The single most important part of the meet was that they were there to swim all the way to the end," Kirner said.
He said this was especially evident in the last event - the 400-yard freestyle relay. The "A" team, composed of sophomore Alicia Leduc, freshmen Katie Lamb and Michaela Wolfe, and senior Anne Verhoef won the event clocking in at 3:45:44. Each member of the A team had individual splits under a minute; 11 of the 16 split times from the event fell under one minute.
Individual first place victories included Verhoef in the 50 freestyle and junior Meredith Scott in the 200 breast stroke event. Okonkowski claimed second place in both the 200 freestyle and 200 Butterfly, and freshman Nikki Dyer took second in the 1000 freestyle event.
Despite feeling under the weather, senior diver Charlotte Wolfe won the three-meter diving event, and took third in the one meter. She said she hopes to improve her future scores, and consequently boost the team's score
Because it's early in the season, the team continues to focus on refining their stroke and race and swimming their best every meet. Kirner said he wants the team to push themselves and keep moving forward in harder practices and with future competition.
Kirner said the next meets, especially their first home meet Friday November 7 against University of Findlay and Albion College, will be great opportunities for the team to swim above the competition in preparation for conference finals, which take place in February. Kirner said the team needs to go out, do the same job, and do it better each time.
"Each meet is like a dress rehearsal for the final stage show," Kirner said the team's preparation for conferences next semester. "They need to challenge themselves meet after meet, event after event, if they want to meet their goals."
Senior Kathryn Hogan said they would love to beat Findlay at home, since they are well matched against the Chargers. Findlay currently ranks ninth in the GLIAC, and the Chargers are up at seventh. Okonkowski added that the team has pretty high expectations for winning the upcoming meet.
"As a team we're ready and we're going to be ready to win," she said.
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