Girls Swimming: Tigers hold off Chaska 96-90

Chelsea Gehrke three 1st place finishes (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Thursday night's dual meet at Chaska came down to the final event of the night but the Tigers did what they needed to do to keep their record unblemished at 6-0 in an exciting 96-90 Missota Conference win.

"We needed to finish second in the 400 freestyle relay to win the meet and we finished second and third," Tiger coach Jen Marshall said. It was a great way to cap an amazing meet."

The 400 freestyle relay team consisted of Catherine Gehrke, Hannah Seitzinger, Emily Ley and Ellie Sundet.

The Tigers claimed the victory despite having a number athletes on the sidelines.

"We had 10 girls out of the lineup for a variety of reasons," Marshall said, "so everyone swimming and diving really had to step up and perform. There were close races throughout the meet and the Lady Tigers came through with great finishes at the end of their swims."

Farmington won six of the meet's nine individual events but as has been the case all season, the team's depth and the ability to amass points for second through fifth place finishes proved the
difference.

Kirsten Kracke three 1st place finishes (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Chelsea Gehrke and Kirsten Kracke each accounted for two individual first place finishes. Gehrke won the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly while Kracke took honors in the 50 and 100 freestyle. Cora Ruzicka scored the other Tiger first place points in the 200 freestyle.

Diver Kendall Novak provided the other Tiger title on the one-meter board as she led a 1-2-3 sweep in the event. Nikki Cayard took second and Tori Sontag ranked third.

"All three varsity divers were spectacular," Marshall said. "Kendall had the meet of her life as she ripped every dive and scored her lifetime best. Nikki and Tori also had great dives and all three are really taking their diving to the next level."

The 200 freestyle relay team of Chelsea Gehrke, Sundet, Ruzicka and Kracke also finished in the top spot.

Ruzicka turned in the only Farmington runner-up finish of the meet, taking second in the 500  freestyle.

Five Tigers finished in third place: Catherine Gehrke, 200 freestyle; Chloe Holton, 200 medley; Sundet, 100 freestyle; Lexie Bray, 100 backstroke and Kaylee Dahlberg, 100 breaststroke.

The Tigers are now off until next Thursday when they entertain Missota Conference favorite Chanhassen, the state's sixth ranked Class AA team. 

"Chan will be a good test for us," Marshall said. "They have horses out in front so we're looking to our depth to have great swims."