Results
INDIANAPOLIS – The lone senior on the IUPUI women’s swimming and diving team,
Elizabeth Bourgeois, competed for the final time at the IU Natatorium Saturday afternoon and went out in style helping the Jaguars pick up wins over Marshall, Western Illinois and Saint Louis.
The Jags defeated Western Illinois, 114.0 – 21.0, while downing Saint Louis, 87.0 – 51.0 and Marshall, 77.0 – 55.0.
“I was much more pleased with the way we performed today. We came out with a lot more energy and managed to finish up a tough weekend on a very positive note,” said head coach
Matt Bos. “Over the next couple of weeks we will begin to sharpen up and start getting some much needed rest leading into the Summit League Championships.”
In her last meet at home, Bourgeois put together strong races, which included a win in the 100 fly.
“Lizzie really stepped up, like she always does, and swam some great races today. There is no doubt that she will be missed next season, not only for her performance in the pool, but the leadership and enthusiasm she provides,” Bos said. “That said, we are not done yet. I am excited to see what Lizzie and our team does the rest of the year. I think she has some special swims left in her.”
The Jags got off to a strong start in the 200 medley relay courtesy of a strong start from
Alexus Laird. Laird got the Jags in front as she swam the 50 back to start the relay, and from there,
Jennifer Oleksiak, Bourgeois and
Madison Taylor kept the lead and eventually picked up the win with a time of 1:48.11.
In the first individual event of the meet, the Jags placed three in the Top 6 of the mile with
Margaret Barber leading the way with a second-place time of 17:43.32, which also served as the third-best time in IUPUI history.
Natalie Trout finished fifth and
Brittany Broyer placed sixth with times of 18:13.22 and 18:16.56, respectively. Those times were the fifth and seventh-best marks in school history.
Oleksiak gave IUPUI another second-place finish, this time in the 200 freestyle. Oleksiak was third coming into the final 50 yards of the race, but a strong push down the stretch earned her the second-place showing at 1:57.61.
Laird came through with the first win of the day claiming the top spot in the 100 backstroke at 58.54, while
Sarah Rozow managed to finish in second at 1:03.05.
Mary Klueh and
Mercedez Bray followed that with a 2-3 finish in the 100 breaststroke to give the Jags another dual podium as the duo clocked in at 1:08.86 and 1:10.12.
Another 2-3 finish ensued for the Jags in the 50 free with Laird and Taylor placing in that order with marks of 24.35 and 25.50, respectively.
Following a break, Taylor came out and swam to a second-place finish in the 100 free at 54.97, before Laird picked up her second win of the day with a win in the 200 back to sweep the backstroke events. Laird clocked in at 2:06.45 and bested Saint Louis’ Taylor Streid by just under a second.
Oleksiak continued the winning ways for the Jags as she earned her first win of the day in the 200 breaststroke. The sophomore touched the wall in 2:24.55, the second-best time in program history, while Bray wasn’t too far behind placing third at 2:28.73.
Barber found her way into the winner’s circle in the 500 freestyle with a mark of 5:15.38, before Bourgeois did the same thing in the 100 fly with a time of 57.73.
In the final individual event, Oleksiak capped off an impressive meet with a second-place showing in the 200 IM. She timed in at 2:10.71, the fourth-best mark in school history, while picking up her third Top-2 showing on the day.
The Jags return to action on Friday, Jan. 25, when they travel to Rochester, Mich., to take on Summit League foe Oakland.
