Results

Galesburg, IL – The Prairie Fire swimming teams opened the new season with a pair of wins against Eureka College on Saturday at Lay Natatorium.

Two pool records fell as the Knox women outscored Eureka 88-20.  The Knox men posted a 65-15 victory.

First-year Madeline Bruce (Dunlap, IL, Dunlap) was one of four swimmers for the Prairie Fire women's team with at least three wins in individual and relay events.

Bruce had quite a debut for Knox, posting victories and setting new records in the 100 butterfly (1:00.99) and the 200 IM (2:21.32).  The previous pool records were 1:01.86 in the 100 fly by Shasta Roche of Knox in 1996 and 2:21.95 in the 200 IM by a swimmer from Lawrence University in 2000.

Besides her first place efforts in the two record-setting events, Bruce also won the 100 freestyle and helped the Knox win the 200 medley relay.

Sophomore Maddie Boehm (Kenosha, WI, Harborside Academy) finished first in the 50 freestyle, the 50 butterfly, and she swam on the winning 200 medley and 200 freestyle relay teams.  First-year Laura Lee (Mountain View, CA, Los Altos) also won two events – the 500 freestyle and the 100 breaststroke – and contributed to the 200 freestyle relay victory for the Prairie Fire.  First-year Clarice Bernett (Chicago, IL, Lane Tech) won the 200 freestyle and was part of the 200 medley and freestyle relay teams.

Sophomore Chris Walsh (Boulder, CO, Shining Mountain Waldorf School) had a big day for the Knox men's squad.  He swam to victories in the 50 freestyle and the 100 backstroke while also helping his team win the 200 medley and freestyle relays.

Fellow sophomore Sam Chen (Englewood, CO, Cherry Creek) won the 100 freestyle, the 50 butterfly, and he was on both victorious relay teams.  Junior Nick Polizos (Hoffman Estates, IL, Barrington) finished first in the 50 and 100 breaststroke races and teamed up with Walsh and Chen on the 200 medley and freestyle relays.  First-year Benjamin Heichman (Deerfield, IL, Deerfield) won the 200 freestyle, the 500 freestyle, and was on the 200 freestyle relay team.

Coach Jonathan Powers said he was impressed with how his swimmers performed.  "For this early in the season, they swam much faster than I expected.  There's great chemistry on this team.  I've seen them pushing and encouraging one another in practice and it was nice to see that pay off in a meet.  I'm really excited to see how they will develop over the season."

The Prairie Fire travel to Illinois College for a four-team meet on November 9 at 1:00.  The two other teams competing at the event will be Millikin University and Principia College.

Follow Prairie Fire athletics on Twitter and Facebook