Depth was the key to the win in Austin’s last dual meet of the season.

Wednesday, October 20, 1999

Depth was the key to the win in Austin’s last dual meet of the season. The 98-83 win over Mayo gave them a 6-3 Big Nine Conference record.

Austin finished 8-4 overall with losses to Lakeville, Century, Mankato West, and Faribault.

"We had a lot of different emotions out there," Austin coach Lynn Gulbrandson said. "It was the last swim of the season for the younger girls and the start of the championship season for the older ones. It was a good team meet for us. We scored well with are depth. Winning the three relays showed how well balanced we were."

Austin started the meet off with a one-three finish in the 200-yard medley relay. Becky Sanford, Amy Martin, Meghan Walsh and Lauren Goettsch won with a time of 2 minutes, 0.03 seconds. Second went to Mayo in a time of 2:00.7. The third place Austin team, Liz Goskesen, Carrie Braaten, Alisha Farrel, and Lisa Champlin, came in at 2:07. 34.

Austin then went one-two-three in the 200 freestyle with Sanford 2:06.83, Sarah Heins 2:11.7, and Tristen Kusterer 2:17.52.

Austin also had a sweep finish in the 100 butterfly: Walsh 1:03.79, Nicole Novak 1:11.87, and Farrell 1:16.43.

In the second relay of the night, the 200 freestyle, Austin went one-two. Champlin, Martin, Kusterer and Heins were first with a time of 1:50.43. Braaten, Stacy Bjorlie, Amanda Martin, and Farrell were second with a time of 1:53.99 almost 6 seconds faster than Mayo’s top team.

Austin also had the top time in the 400 freestyle relay. Walsh, Heins, Goettsch, and Sanford swam the race in 3:53.18. Mayo’s finished second with a time of 3:55.83.

Other Austin individual firsts came from Sanford in the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:36.10, Bjorlie was second with a time of 5:55.9, and Goskesen in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:09.37.

Austin got seconds from Walsh in the 200 individual medley, 2:19.97 (top time was Jessica Johnson’s 2:15.70), Goettsch in the 50 free with a 26.17 (Jennifer Brumm won it with a 25.90), and Heins in the 100 free at 59.67 (Goettsch was 1/100 of a second slower and Brumm finished first in a time of 57.24).

Packer Danielle Chapek was second in diving with a score of 190.95. Mayo’s Kathryn Lewallen was the top performer with a score of 195.60.

The next time Austin takes to the pool competitively is Oct. 30 at the Big Nine Conference meet in Rochester.