Nanook Swimmers Double Results During First Day Of Conference Meet :: Alaska finished eighth in both of its relays Wednesday in Long Beach

Feb. 14, 2008

LONG BEACH, CA-After scratching out in last year's 800 freestyle relay, the Nanooks had nowhere to go but up, and up they went, finishing with a new team record of 8:00.49 in the first day of action at the Pacific Collegiate Swim Coaches Conference meet Wednesday in Long Beach.

According to head coach Scott Lemley, the swim of the day was freshman Kinsey Laine's lead off split in the 800 freestyle relay. She swam her leg in a lifetime best 1:58.82, which counts as an official time and was only a second and a half off the NCAA "B" qualifying time.

Alaska rebounded in their second race of the day after getting off to a sluggish start in the first event, the 200 medley relay. The Nanooks time of 1:53.84 was slower than their original entry time. However, it was fast enough for eight place, a spot higher than the previous year's ninth place finish.

The two eighth place finishes earned the Nanooks 88 points: more than double the previous year's total after the first day (40 points).

"The first day of the meet is in the books," said Lemley. "Though one-third of the team is still feeling the effects of a nasty flu virus which made the rounds through the athletic department last week, we still managed to start stronger than we did at last year's conference championship."

Thursday the Nanooks swim the preliminary heats of the individual events beginning with the 500 freestyle at at 9 a.m., the 200 individual medley at 10 a.m., where freshman Mariya Pavlovskaya is seeded in the top 8, the 50 freestyle at 11 a.m., and the 200 freestyle relay. Complete results are listed on the PCSC website, at http://www.pacificswimanddive.org/champresults.html.