Collegeville, Minn. – The Gustavus Adolphus women’s swimming and diving team registered nine event victories on its way to a first place finish at the Saint John’s/Saint Ben’s Mini Invite on Saturday afternoon. The Gusties swam to the top of the podium after totaling 1,870 points. Saint Benedict finished second with 824 points, while Morningside rounded out the field in third with 244 points.
Jennifer Strom (So., Rochester, Minn.) was Gustavus’ top performer of the afternoon with three individual event wins to her credit. Strom won the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:20.90, 1,000 free with a time of 11:01.32, and the 400 IM with a time of 4:46.12.
Alissa Tinklenberg (Jr., Willmar, Minn.) also had a solid meet by contributing a pair of first place finishes – winning the 200 backstroke in 2:12.48 and the 200 IM in 2:15.92. Leah Anderson (Fy., Apple Valley, Minn.) added Gustavus’ other individual first place mark by taking the 100 free with a time of 2:00.52. Anderson also came in second in the 500 free (5:28.59) and third in the 200 backstroke.
Laura Drake (Jr., Mendota Heights, Minn.) added three finishes on the podium – all three of which coming by way of second place swims. Drake went 1:11.00 in the 100 breaststroke and 2:37.10 in the 200 breaststroke, while also touching the wall in 1:03.04 in the 100 butterfly.
Abby Lyle (Jr., Buffalo, Wyo.) and Tarin Anding (Fy, Sartell, Minn.) both tallied a pair of finishes inside the top three. Lyle placed runner-up in the 400 IM (4:59.48) and added a third pace finish in the 200 IM. Anding finished second in the 100 free (56.32) and third in the 200 butterfly.
Second place finishers also included Ashley Lager (Fy., St. Peter, Minn.), Katie Olson (So., North Oaks, Minn.), and Annie Fittipaldi (Fy., Deerwood, Minn.). Lager went 1:03.95 in the 100 back, Olson finished in 25.50 in the 50 free, and Fittipaldi turned in a 2:24.68 in the 200 butterfly.
Megan Tuttle (So., Minnetonka, Minn.), Breanna Schlegel (So., Eagan, Minn.), McKenna Jones (So, Faribault, Minn.), Kimberlie Massey (Fy., Great Falls, Mont.), Elizabeth Larson (So., Detroit Lakes, Minn.), and Gretchen Dillon (Fy., Maple Grove, Minn.) rounded out Gustavus’ top performers with third place finishes on the day.
The Gusties also benefited from three relay victories at the meet. Gustavus won the 200-medley relay in 1:50.97, 200-free relay in 1:42.65, and 400-free relay in 3:43.28.
Shelbie Walsh (Fy., Litchfield, Minn.) and Heather Funai (So., Lincolnwood, Ill.) took top honors for the Gusties in the diving events. Walsh won the one-meter with a score of 176.25, and Funai took the three-meter with a score of 209.90.
The Gustavus swimming and diving teams will be off over the Thanksgiving holiday before returning to the pool on Friday, Nov. 30. The Gusties will travel to Minneapolis to take part in the two-day Jena Freeman Invitational taking place Friday and Saturday at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.