Lady Kougar Swimmers Win Another Championship at Lowell Invite

On Saturday the Lady Kougar Swim Team captured another title, winning the Lowell Invite for the first time in several years, with an impressive 125 points!!  Gold medals were awarded to event winners, six places grabbed ribbons, while the ladies also brought home the team trophy.  The 200 medley relay team of Kate Lott, Alysia Beenes, Maddie Babicka and Abbey Sittema won gold in 2:05.83, with all four swimming very well.  Jordan Rhoades had a great meet, taking 2nd in the 200 free in a personal record (PR) time of 2:23.76.  Caitlin Roth was 4th.  Sittema was golden in the 200 individual medley in 2:28.79.  Audra Lewis was 3rd.  Babicka blazed to gold in the 50 free in 25.40.  Leah Gouwens was a strong 3rd.  Jordan Brodner was 3rd in diving with a season-best score of 148.30.  Maribeth Strong was 5th.  Sonny Anderson had a great 100 fly event, PRing by nearly 4 seconds in 1:21.84, good for 2nd place.  Jordyn Rentschler also PR'd in a time of 1:49.38.  Sittema and Brittany Stepp went 1-2 in the 100 free, giving the Kougs 12 huge points in that event.  Sittema won in a fine time of 58.38, while three-sport star Stepp swam an awesome PR time of 1:07.19.  Babicka dominated the 500 free, winning in 6:03.2.  Roth took another solid 4th here.  Stepp, Beenes, Gouwens and Lewis, despite being seeded third, swam great to capture gold in the 200 free relay in 2:01.66.  Rhoades swam another PR in the 100 back, taking 2nd place in 1:13.71.  Lott was just behind in 1:13.92, good for 3rd place.  Lewis and Beenes powered to an impressive 1-2 finish in the 100 breaststroke, Lewis winning in a PR time of 1:21.19.  Beenes was right behind in 1:22.32.  The 400 free relay team capped off the meet with another gold in 4:20.19.  That quartet was Babicka, Rhoades, Lewis and Sittema.  Congratulations, ladies and keep up the great work.  Their next meet is Sat. at Highland for the NCC meet.