By Elaine Gu
Gargoyle staff reporter
Posted Sunday, Sept. 10, 2006, The OG, sports

CHICAGO — The Uni High girls swim team defeated host Chicago University High 87-81 on Saturday, the team's first varsity victory over the Maroons in many years.

“We were all very proud of the win because we have always been neck and neck with them,” said junior Katie Ryan. “The seniors have been waiting to beat them their entire high school swim career, and it finally happened.”

The Uni girls, this year called the Stingrays, won the 200-yard medley (2 minutes, 11.89 seconds) and 200 freestyle (1:56.11) relays. The winning medley team consisted of seniors Anne Dixon, Krista Olson, Nicole Gong, and Liz Reese. Ryan joined Dixon, Gong, and Reese on the freestyle team.

“We set the scene by winning the first relay,” said head coach Howard Schein. “We had 21 times that were faster than last week!”

Individually, Reese won both the 50 free (27.93) and the 500 free (6:16.12). Dixon placed first in the 100 breaststroke (1:17.62), followed by freshman Erika Belmont (1:23.19) and Olson (1:23.85) in second and third respectively. Ryan won the 200 freestyle (2:15.84), finishing 14 seconds ahead of the second-place Chicago U-High finisher.

In all, Uni won six of the meet's 11 events.

Saturday's victory improved the Stingrays' record to 2-0, coming a week after the girls opened their season with a resounding 128-38 win over Stanford Olympia. The victory also avenged last year's loss to the Class AA Maroons, when the Uni varsity fell to the Chicago swimmers 104-65.

In fact, Saturday's victory was the girls' strongest performance against their Windy City counterparts since 2003, when the Uni varsity lost by just four points, 49-45, while the JV won 34-28. In 2004 Uni lost 93-75.

Before the races started, the Stingrays gathered for a moment of silence over the death of Steve Irwin, TV's “Crocodile Hunter,” who died last week from a stab in the heart by a stingray.

The Stingrays will compete at Centennial's Charger Invitational on Saturday.

2006 VARSITY RECORD: 2-0

Sept. 2: at Stanford Olympia (vs. Stanford Olympia), W 128-38
Top Uni individual swimmers:

— Liz Reese, 50 free, 1st (:28.56)
— Katie Ryan, 100 free, 1st (1:02.62); 200 free, 1st (2:18.16)
— Deborah Ladd, 500 free, 1st (7:15.34)
— Anne Dixon, 100 breast, 1st (1:19.67)
— Nicole Gong, 100 fly, 1st (time to be posted); 200 IM, 1st (2:43.97)
Top Uni relay swimmers:
— Anne Dixon, Nicole Gong, Liz Reese, Katie Ryan, 200 free, 1st (1:57.64)
— Anne Dixon, Krista Olson, Nicole Gong, Liz Reese, 200 medley, 1st (2:13.19)
— Eunice How, Krista Olson, Katie Ryan, Aliisa Rantanen, 400 free, 1st (4:45.36)

Sept. 9: at the University of Chicago (vs. Chicago University High), W 87-81
Top Uni individual swimmers:

— Liz Reese, 50 free, 1st (:27.93)
— Katie Ryan, 200 free, 1st (2:15.84)
— Liz Reese, 500 free, 1st (6:16.12)
— Anne Dixon, 100 breast, 1st (1:17.62)
Top Uni relay swimmers:
— Katie Ryan, Anne Dixon, Nicole Gong, Liz Reese, 200 free, 1st (1:56.11)
— Anne Dixon, Krista Olson, Nicole Gong, Liz Reese, 200 medley, 1st (2:11.89)