Dec. 1, 2007
Contact: Gene Natale, Jr.
OXFORD, Ohio - The Viking women's swim team was back in action in day two of the Miami Invitational at Miami's Gross Center, highlighted by season and personal best performances by seniors Lesley Jones and Deanna Raedel.
"We were very encouraged by the improvement of our swims by the Lady Vikings," head coach Wally Morton said.
Jones's time of 24.53 in the preliminary round of the 50 yard freestyle was a personal best, and she followed with a time of 24.71 in the finals in finishing 17th in the event.
She also managed a personal best in her leg of the 400 yard medley relay, swimming to a 53.07 second split in the anchoring freestyle portion of the race, helping the team to a 16th place finish in the event with an overall time of 4:04.07, reflecting a massive 8 second improvement over the team's seed time. The relay team was rounded out by juniors Kristine Bunker and Katie Bellew, and senior Raedel.
Meanwhile, Raedel's time of 1:09.31 in the prelims of the 100 breastroke was a personal best, though she fell just short of making it to finals in the event.
"I really thought the team as a whole swam very well," said Coach Morton.
Overall the team sits in 12th place, with 98 points through 22 events. Day three of the Miami Invite continues today, in the Vikings' last competition before winter break.
