The Gustavus women’s swimming and diving team picked up seven individual victories, but wound up on the short end of the score Saturday against College of Saint Benedict, falling 157-143 to the Blazers at Lund Natatorium in St. Peter. Liz Hartman (Jr., Eagan, Minn.) picked up a pair of victories, while Laura Watkins (Jr., Fargo, N.D.), Katie Haynes (Sr., Duluth, Minn.) and Sara Pfau (So., Bismarck, N.D.) added a victory and a pair of runner-up finishes.
Hartman won the 1000 freestyle (11:16.88) and the 500 freestyle (5:32.02), finishing ahead of Larkin Davis (So., Palatine, Ill.) in both races. Watkins won the 50 freestyle in 25.63 seconds, edging Saint Ben’s Becca Schleicher (25.69) at the wall. Watkins also teamed with Haynes, Pfau and Espel to finish second in the 200 medley relay (1:54.99) and with Espel, Emily Degnan (Fy., Hibbing, Minn.) and Krista Koenen (Fy., Willmar, Minn.) to record a second-place finish in the 400 freestyle relay (3:43.76).
Pfau also scored the win in the 200 individual medley (2:17.89) and a runner-up finish in the 200 backstroke (2:17.97) behind Haynes (2:17.28). Haynes added a runner-up finish in the 100 backstroke (1:05.32).
Yoshi Ludwig (Jr., St. Peter, Minn.) and Britta Nelson (Fy., Morrison, Colo.) picked up the other Gustie wins, emerging victorious in the 100 butterfly (1:02.69) and the 200 butterfly (2:20.09), respectively.
Gustavus finishes its dual season at 4-4. The Gusties’ final three events of the season all take place at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center in Minneapolis. This weekend’s Minnesota Challenge (Feb. 3-4) will be followed by the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Swimming and Diving Championships (Feb. 16-18). MIAC rival Carleton will host the 2006 NCAA Division III Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships at the University of Minnesota March 16-18.