By Elaine Gu
Gargoyle staff reporter
Posted Sunday, Nov. 5, 2006, The OG, sports

NORMAL — The girls swim team finished fourth at the nine-team Normal University High Invite held Saturday at Illinois State University.

The Stingrays scored 164 points, a mere five points behind third-place Schlarman. The Uni girls improved from last year when they placed fifth with 141 points. Normal University High was the runaway winner with 313 points, and Eureka/Roanoke-Benson took second (183). The final standings:

1. Normal University High, 313
2. Eureka/Roanoke-Benson, 183
3. Danville Schlarman, 169
4. UNI HIGH, 164
5. Chicago University High, 149
6. Petersburg PORTA, 143
7. Pontiac, 95
8. Jacksonville Routt Catholic, 50
9. Stanford Olympia, 35

The 200-yard freestyle relay of seniors Anne Dixon, Nicole Gong, Liz Reese, and junior Katie Ryan finished third behind Normal U-High and Schlarman, with a time of 1 minute, 53.34 seconds. The 200 medley relay of Dixon, Gong, Reese, and freshman Erika Belmont also placed third with 2:06.61, barely two-tenths of a second off their seasonal-best time.

In the JV race, sophomore Natsuki Nakamura won the 100-yard butterfly.

Gong was the leading scorer, earning 23 points, followed by Reese and Dixon, with 19 points each. Ryan also contributed 18 points.

The Stingrays will compete Saturday in the IHSA sectional meet at Centennial's Unit 4 Pool. The winner of each event and those who swim qualifying times will advance to state.

2006 VARSITY RESULTS (2-0 in dual meets)

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 (1:10.59); 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)

Sept. 16: at Champaign Centennial (Charger Invitational, 15 teams), 14th place (11 pts)
Top Uni individual swimmer:
— Anne Dixon, 100 breast, 1 pt (1:17.92)
Top Uni relay swimmers:
— Katie Ryan, Anne Dixon, Nicole Gong, Liz Reese, 200 medley, 8 pts (2:07.06)
— Elizabeth Allen, Maritza Mestre, Aliisa Rantanen, Erika Belmont, 200 free, 2 pts (2:02.38)

Sept. 23: at Eastern Illinois University (Charleston tri-meet), 2nd place (110 pts)
Top Uni individual swimmers:
— Liz Reese, 14 pts overall
— Anne Dixon, 100 breast, 1st (1:19.57), 12 pts
— Katie Ryan, 10 pts

— Nicole Gong, 9 pts
— Krista Olson, 9 pts

Sept. 26: at Danville High School (Danville tri-meet), 3rd place (79 pts)
Top Uni individual swimmers:
— Katie Ryan, 500 free, 2nd (6:10.75), 9 pts overall
— Anne Dixon, 6 pts
Top Uni relay swimmers:
— Erika Belmont, Nicole Gong, Anne Dixon, Liz Reese, 200 medley, 2nd (2:10.58)
— Nicole Gong, Liz Reese, Anne Dixon, Katie Ryan, 200 free, 3rd (1:54.58)

Sept. 30: at Danville High School (Danville quad meet), 3rd place (306 points)
Top Uni individual swimmers:
— Nicole Gong, 100 fly, 3rd (1:08.19); 200 IM, 3rd (2:37.69)
— Katie Ryan, 200 free, 3rd (2:17.06)
— Anne Dixon, 100 breast, 4th (1:18.48)
Top Uni relay swimmers:
— Anne Dixon, Nicole Gong, Liz Reese, Katie Ryan, 200 free, 2nd (1:54.27)

Oct. 7: at Champaign Centennial (Central Invitational, 5 teams), 4th place (145.5 pts)
Top Uni individual swimmer:
— Anne Dixon, 100 breast, 5th (1:18.5)
Top Uni relay swimmers:
— Katie Ryan, Erika Belmont, Anne Dixon, Nicole Gong, 200 medley (2:06.4 — season best)
— Nicole Gong, Liz Reese, Anne Dixon, Katie Ryan, 200 free (1:52.28 — season best)
— Krista Olson, Elizabeth Allen, Aliisa Rantanen, Liz Reese, 400 free (4:22.25 — season best)

Oct. 14: at Danville (Schlarman pentathlon), results to be posted

Oct. 17: at Champaign Centennial (Twin City Meet, 4 teams), 4th place (208 pts)
Top Uni individual swimmer:
— Nicole Gong, 100 butterfly, 5th (1:07.09)

Oct. 28: at Danville YMCA (Schlarman tri-meet), 2nd place (95 pts)
Top Uni individual swimmers:
— Anne Dixon, 100 breast, 1st (1:17.81); 50 free, 3rd (28.75); 11 pts overall
— Nicole Gong, 200 IM, 3rd (2:35.88); 11 pts overall
Top Uni relay swimmers:
— Erika Belmont, Anne Dixon, Nicole Gong, Liz Reese, 200 medley, 2nd (2:07.13)
— Anne Dixon, Nicole Gong, Liz Reese, Katie Ryan, 200 free, 2nd (1:52.24 — new season best)

Nov. 4: at Illinois State University (Normal University High Invite, 9 teams), 4th place (164 pts)
Top Uni relay swimmers:
— Erika Belmont, Anne Dixon, Nicole Gong, Liz Reese, 200 medley, 3rd (2:06.61)
— Anne Dixon, Nicole Gong, Liz Reese, Katie Ryan, 200 free, 3rd (1:53.34)