Sports

Andover Girls Swimming Dunks Exeter Big Red, Bests Williston

The Girls Varsity Swimming Team brought home two decisive wins this week. In their last dual meet of the season, the lady Blue upset Exeter and finished the meet just two points ahead of their Big Red Rivals. This win came after a confidence-building win over Williston-Northampton and Convent of the Sacred Heart at their tri-meet last Saturday. This Wednesday the girls traveled to New Hampshire to take on their rivals at Exeter. The girls left that afternoon feeling nervous and knowing that Exeter’s newly improved team would put up an intense fight. However, the girls once again pulled through, bringing home the Big Blue win. The most impressive event of the day was the 500-yard free. Katie Faulkner ’06 came in first place in the 500 freestyle, swimming an amazing time of 5:18. She was followed by Carly Villareal ’07, who dropped 12 seconds from her 500 free style time. The win came down to the last relay, the 400 free relay, where the girls had to get both second place and third place in order to win. With the girls on edge and swimming their hearts out, they sniped the points that they needed. The meet started off well in the 200 free style relay when the lady Blue A team came in first place. Erica Roddy ’07 came in first place in the 50-yard free style, continuing her string of free style wins. Says Hee-jin Chang ’05, “Kristina Chang swam really well, I was very proud of her.” H.Chang ’05 had her first loss in the 100 fly, losing to Lauren Brady ’07. H. Chang did however beat her own personal time. H. Chang swam well in all her other events, swimming one of her fastest splits in her 100 free in the last relay, and therefore helping the team to victory. The Andover Girl’s Divers had an amazing meet, when Captain Jacqui Leboutiller ’04 came in first place, and also scored a personal best score of 199. The girl’s took first, fourth and sixth in the diving competitions, making this their most impressive meet of the year. Says Coach Megan Greene “I couldn’t be happier with the performance of the girls today. All other hard work has paid off.” Captain Kate Page ’04 was extremely happy with the outcome of the Exeter meet, saying “I’m so happy with how the meet went. It was an amazing way to have my last school meet end.”