Dec. 9, 2007

Results

FAIRBANKS, AK - The Alaska Nanooks swim team experienced a historic moment Saturday afternoon, when the third-edition women's squad won its first dual meet since the programs' revival (2005), 134-70, over Division III Pacific Lutheran University.

The 200 yd medley "A" relay team of Jacqueline van Driessche, Mariya Pavlovskaya, Kelly Becker and Heidi Tilicki led from the starting horn and easily out swam the "A" team from PLU, 1:56.65 to 2:03.69. The "B" team of Kathryn Niemi, Courtney Miller, Abbey Jackson and Erin Widby finished third (2:07.43) and PLU's "B" team was 4th.

In the first individual event of the afternoon, Sam Zinsli and Joann Kump finished first and second in the 1000 free. Though not season bests, the Nanooks showed their depth and relative excellence with swims of 10:56.17 and 12:17.70, respectively.

In perhaps the most exciting race of the meet, Tilicki swam against PLU's best swimmer, Jessie Klauder, in the 200 free. Klauder was out fast, opening with a 57.85 in the first 100 yards and Tilicki was almost three seconds behind, seemingly putting the race out of reach. However, by the third pool lenght, the freshman from Junction City, OR, sensed Klauder weakening and although she was still over a second behind, picked up her tempo to chase the PLU swimmer down. With a closing sprint of 30.1 (more than two seconds faster than Kaluder was able to muster) Tilicki finished over a second ahead of her opponent with a season best 2:01.49 to Klauder's 2:02.71. Amanda Davis finished 4th in a 2:16.91.

In the 50 free PLU had the better sprinter when Dayna Blauvelt out swam Widby with a time of 27.25. Widby finished second with a 28.43 while PLU finished third (28.59) and sixth (31.15). The Nanooks' Amanda Hartman finished fourth (28.98) while Tori Reiss finished fifth (29.57).

In the 400 IM, Kinsey Laine beat PLU's Laura Brade 4:55.68 to 5:17.54. PLU was able to finish third (5:20.01) while Nanook freshmen Miller and Jackson finished fourth (5:21.98) and fifth (5:30.99), respectively.

In the 100 fly PLU put up a fight but All-American, Kelly Becker, prevailed 1:01.01 to 1:05.74. Niemi and Davis finished in third (1:06.72) and sixth (1:14.83).

In Laine's second event, the 100 free, she again proved to be the fastest swimmer beating Lute Dayna Blauvelt, 57.79 to 58.88. Hartman took third (1:00.10) and Widby fourth (1:02.24).

In perhaps the best match-up of the day, head coach Scott Lemley entered his top two backstrokers, van Driessche and Pavlovskaya, in the 100 yard back. A natural sprinter, van Driessche, was out quickest splitting a 29.59 at the 50, nearly a second ahead of her teammate. Pavlovskaya, however, swam her second 50 almost as fast as her first (30.52 - 30.72) catching and passing the sophomore from Soldotna and winning the event with a lifetime best of 1:01.24. van Driessche placed second with 1:02.11, while Nanook Tori Reiss finished fourth in 1:13.96.

In the 500 free, Zinsli beat PLU's Klauder by eight seconds with a time of 5:19.31, merely .73 of a second off he pool record. Tilicki was third in 5:28.50 and Joann Kump finished in fifth with a season best 6:02.40.

Winning their ninth event of the day, Russian rookie Pavlovskaya easily out swam PLU's Klauder in the 100 breaststroke, 1:10.67 to 1:14.49. The Nanooks Miller and Jackson finished fourth and fifth, respectively (1:16.32 and 1:22.16).

Alaska closed out the day the way they started with a win: Alaska's "A" 400 free relay team of Zinsli, Laine, Becker and van Driessche won easily with a time of 3:49.64. PLU finished second (4:06.43).

The Nanooks will look to make history Sunday against the Lutes: a win would complete the dual meet victory, marking the program's first such accomplishment since 1973. First race is at noon at the Patty Center Pool.