University of Northern Iowa
Illinois State
Panthers Fall to Illinois State, 196.5-97.5 in Season Opener
10/13/2006 8:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
Oct. 13, 2006
The University of Northern Iowa Women's Swimming kicked off the season in a dual with the Redbirds of Illinois State, losing 196.5-97.5. The Panthers won three of 16 events, breaking records in two of the wins.
In her first collegiate meet, freshman Abby Girard (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Cedar Falls) took first in the 100-yard back, 59.63 and 200-yard back, 2:12.85, earning two spots in UNI's all-time top-five times. She also led the runner-up 200-yard medley relay team, along with sophomore Maegan Miller (Olathe, Kan./Olathe), freshman Maggie Rickert (Hudson, Iowa/Hudson), and senior anchor Erin Danielson (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston).
The Panther's best event of the night was the 200-yard free relay where UNI teams claimed the top three finishes. Freshman Amanda Firman (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Cedar Falls), sophomore Ashley Hunter (Overland Par, Kan./Blue Valley North), Rickert, and Danielson raced in to first place with a finishing time of 1:42.06. Second place went to Miller, senior Pearl James (Fairfield, Iowa/Fairfield), senior Rachael Robnett (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho/Lake City), and freshman Kelly Mateas (Winfield, Ill./Community). Junior Jamie Keefer (Spencer, Iowa/Spencer), sophomore Katie Maloy (Auburn, Ind./R. Nelson Snider), freshman Nichol Roberts (Moline, Ill./Senior), and sophomore Alexa Armstrong (Dubuque, Iowa/Hempstead) came in third, 1:51.01.
Butterfly was also a strong event for the Panthers. In the 100-yard fly, Katie Klinkenborg (Overland Park, Kan./Shawnee Mission East) took second with a time of 1:02.83, Rickert took third with a time of 1:04.20, and sophomore transfer Melissa Kilfoy (Bettendorf, Iowa/Bettendorf/Western Illinois) took fourth with a time of 1:04.72. Klinkenborg also claimed second in the 200-yard fly, 2:18.87.
Firman also raced into second-place in the 50-yard free, 25.49.
The swim team hosts its first dual meet of the season at 1 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 21) as it welcomes South Dakota to the Wellness and Recreation Center Pool.
Players Mentioned
