Saturday, December 02, 2006

Valparaiso set two more school records in the final two events of the day on Saturday on the way to a fifth place finish to conclude the House of Champions Invitational in Indianapolis, Ind.

Elizabeth Thompson (Norman, Okla./North H.S.) set a new school mark in the 200 butterfly Saturday night with her fifth place finish in the event. The freshman's time of 2:11.70 bettered Katie Urbas' 2003 mark by .04 seconds. Thompson also turned in the sixth fastest 400 individual medley time in school history, 4:51.78, with a ninth place finish in the event.

The Crusaders' 400 freestyle relay concluded the meet in style, finishing runner-up in record-setting fashion. The team of Kati Smethurst (Grand Ledge, Mich./Grand Ledge H.S.), Rachel Majercik (Schaumburg, Ill./Conant H.S.), Amanda Gregory (Carmel, Ind./Carmel H.S.), and Jaclyn Krause (Rochester, Mich./Notre Dame Prep H.S.) touched the wall in 3:36.89, .05 seconds faster than the 1995 team's record.

Krause also turned in the seventh fastest mark ever at Valpo in the 200 freestyle where she finished sixth in a time of 1:58.40. Gregory finished ninth in the same event (1:59.34). Krause also finished eighth in the 100 free with a mark of 54.85 seconds.

In the 100 backstroke, Katie Jajtner (Port Washington, Wis./Port Washington H.S.) finished seventh with a time of 1:03.81, ranking ninth in school history. Karen Berg (Glendale, Ariz./Deer Valley H.S.) also posted a top-10 finish placing ninth in 1:04.31. Berg also finished eighth in the 200 back with a time of 2:18.34.

Anna Kampling (Iowa City, Iowa/West H.S.) finished ninth for the Brown and Gold in the 100 butterfly (1:01.59) while Katie Cissell (Bloomington, Ind./Edgewood H.S.) finished 10th in the 1650 free with a time of 19:01.43. Liane Schroeder (Bremen, Ind./Bremen H.S>) was Valpo's top finisher in both the 100 breast (1:14.40) and 200 breast (2:45.07).

Valpo also turned in a third place finish in the 800 free relay while finishing sixth in the 200 medley relay.

The Crusaders will return to action on December 19 as the Crusaders head to Saint Louis, Mo. for a quadrangular meet with the Billikens, IUPUI, and Centenary. The first event begins at 6 p.m.