The Hillsdale College Chargers recorded three statement victories in a quad meet at Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio, on Friday. They beat Notre Dame with a score of 129-56, Olivet College 129-38, and Ursuline College 132-39.
Hillsdale dominated the relays, taking first in both the 200 medley and the 400 freestyle. The A-team took first in the 200 medley with a time of 1 minute 55.05 seconds. The B-team took second with a time of 1:56.02. In the 400 freestyle, the Chargers A-team took first with a time of 3:47.12.
“We were all energized by some great races,” said sophomore Katherine Heeres, who swam butterfly for the “B” team in the 200 medley relay. “That energy fed into more fast swimming. It was a positive feedback cycle in the very best sense.”
Hillsdale also landed first-place finishes in every individual race.
Sophomore Mary Vita and Freshman Stefanie Walker took first and second in the 200 freestyle. Vita won with a time of 2:04.42 while Walker finished three seconds behind, in 2:07.45.
Senior Grace Houghton added a first place finish in the 1000 freestyle, coming in at 11:18.62. Freshman Anna Clark took third in the race with a time of 11:30.10.
Vita took first in the 200 freestyle with a time of 2:04.42 while Walker took second at 2:07.45. Junior Victoria Addis added another first place finish in the 25 freestyle with a time of 26.47.
The Chargers swept the 200 individual medley. Senior Anika Ellingson took first with a time of 2:19.03. Freshman Anais Nuet placed second at 2:24.18, while senior Suzanne DeTar took third coming in at 2:28.11.
Senior Grace Houghton added another first place in the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:01.87. Junior Bailey Bickerstaff took first in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:03.00, while sophomore Katherine Heeres added yet another first place finish in the 500 freestyle at 5:27.89.
The Chargers will host the University of Findlay and Lewis University in a tri-meet on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Head Coach Kurt Kirner plans to rest the team this week in preparation for an invitational meet against the University of Chicago on Nov. 16.
“We are starting a mid-season rest phase leading up to that [University of Chicago] meet, and that should create some positive results,” Kirner said. “We’re setting goals around quality mental techniques, better nutrition, and good sleep patterns while laying down constructive race plans.”