Oct. 6, 2007
Results
Cedar Falls, Iowa - The University of Northern Iowa women's swimming team opened its 2007-08 season Saturday falling 171.5-122.5 to Illinois State.
The Panthers won five of 16 races, and hung tough in the meet until the diving competition, in which UNI did not compete.
Sophomore Abby Girard (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Cedar Falls) won two individual titles in the 100 and 200-yard backstroke. Girard was a piece of the 200-yard medley relay team that took first place in the first race of the meet. She was joined on the all-sophomore relay team by transfer Andrea Grandcolas (Troy, Ill./U. of Illinois), and returnees Maggie Rickert (Hudson, Iowa/Cedar Falls) and Amanda Firman (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Cedar Falls).
The backstroke events couldn't be complete without the Panthers second Abby, as Abby Moes (Sioux City, Iowa/East) finished second in both the 100 and 200-yard events and added a third-place finish in the 200-yard IM.
Another super-sophomore, Amanda Firman (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Cedar Falls) brought home first-place points in two events as well. She raced to a dead-heat win in the 50-yard freestyle, in 24.99, the same time as Illinois State racer Suzanne Almeida. Then, Firman and freshman Josie Itzen (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Cedar Falls) combined to finish first and second in the 100-yard freestyle.
The fifth first-place finish came in the 500-yard freestyle. Freshman April Mangrich won in a time of 5:21.61, two seconds ahead of freshman teammate McKinzie Jacobs (Cedarville, Ill. /Freeport) who finished third.
A pair of freshmen starting off there collegiate careers, Caitlin Krengel (West Chicago, Ill./West Chicago) and Josie Itzen also placed well for the Panthers. Krengel finished second in the 100 breaststroke and 100 butterfly while Itzen took second in the 200 IM as well as the aforementioned 100-yard freestyle.
The Panthers will take to the pool again next Saturday, Oct. 13, for the Alumni Meet. This meet will start at noon, and will kick off a full-slate of Homecoming activities scheduled for Saturday. For more information on the alumni meet, click on this link
http://www.collegesports.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/niwa/sports/w-swim/auto_pdf/AlumniMeetInformation 
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