JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – The Illinois College swimming teams split a dual meet with Monmouth College on Saturday in Coultas Natatorium. The Lady Blues defeated the Fighting Scots, 97-89, while the Blueboys fell to the visitors by a score of 120.5-68.5.
The newest entry into the Illinois College record books came courtesy of freshman
Caitlyn Bowser. Swimming the 1000 Freestyle, Bowser's time of 12:25.12 clocked in as the second-fastest time in the event in program history.
Overall, the men's and women's teams combined for 11 individual or relay victories against Monmouth. Three swimmers – Marty Ambre,
Marcella Jacquemain and
Hannah Marks – each won two individual events. The first winner of the day came in the opening race as the women's 400 Medley Relay of
Kate Edelstein, Marks, Jacquemain and
Lindsay Bruce recorded a 13-second victory with a time of 4:32.64.
For Ambre, the two event victories occurred with a three-second win in the 200 Freestyle (1:54.27) and a narrow win in the 500 Freestyle (5:11.37.) Jacquemain was barely challenged in her races, recording her victories in the 400 IM (5:15.93) and the 200 Butterfly (2:41.86). Marks took home the crown in the 50 Freestyle (26.58) and the 200 Breaststroke (2:38.29).
Other individual event victories for the Blueboys and Lady Blues came from Edelstein in the 200 Backstroke (2:25.47),
Maddie Headtke in the 500 Freestyle (6:13.49) and Steven Lorett in the 200 Butterfly (2:15.99). Perhaps the oddest feature of Saturday's dual was the men's 50 Freestyle. Isaac Daigle tied with Monmouth's Logan Hoepfner down to the hundredth of a second with a time of 23.39, splitting the points for both sides.
Illinois College also had a number of runner-up finishes on the afternoon. The first was from the men's 400 Medley Relay of Daigle, Mike Weisenfelder, Lorett and Ambre. They compiled a time of 3:59.83. Later on the in the day, second-place finishes were turned in by Edelstein in the 200 Freestyle (2:12.69), Bruce in the 100 Freestyle (1:03.51), Daigle in the 100 Freestyle (50.89) and Myles Genrich in the 200 Backstroke (2:22.91). IC also took second in the day's closing relays. The Lady Blues touched the wall in 1:51.99 in the 200 Freestyle Relay thanks to Edelstein, Jacquemain, Bruce and Marks. The Blueboys ended in second place with a time of 1:35.30 with swims from Weisenfelder, Lorett, Ambre and Daigle.
After a weekend off, Illinois College will return to action at the Pioneer Invite in Grinnell, Iowa on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.
