FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Alaska Nanooks swim team was swept by Seattle University this weekend as they hosted the Redhawks in their final home meet of the 2019-20 season. After falling last night on Nov. 15, the Nanooks dropped day two to SU, 81-120. This loss drops the 'Nooks to 0-6, 0-6 PCSC on the season as they take to the road for the remainder of their meets.
The Alaska swim team jumped out to a great start, claiming a win in the first event of the day, the 200-yard medley relay. The team of;
Erika Kakazu,
Kaia Norbye,
Oda Bygdnes and Kayla Suominen ran away from the competition, winning the relay with a time of 1:47.66, almost four full seconds ahead of the second place, Seattle University team. The fourth place finishing team was also a group of Nanooks, finishing with a time of 1:57.59. This team consisted of
Whitney McArthur, Syd Gulon,
Jessica Williamson and
Kyleigh McArthur.
Event two, the 1650-yard freestyle, went the way of the Redhawks, but event three was won by Suominen, the freshman Nanook. Suominen grabbed the win in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:59.78, the only racer to crack the sub-two minute mark. Gulon took third place with a 2:01.74 and
Camille Dayton finished fifth with a time of 2:05.77. Seattle went on to take first place in the next four events; the 200-yard backstroke, 200-yard breaststroke, 100-yard butterfly and the 50-yard freestyle.
Kaia Norbye was the next victorious 'Nooks swimmer in the morning meet. She boasted the best time in the 100-yard freestyle, racing a 53.02, winning the event by more than a second over her teammate,
Oda Bygdnes who clocked the second best time at 54.32. Unfortunately the Nanooks fell in two of the final three events, watching Seattle University take the crown in the 500-yard freestyle and 400-yard IM before winning the final event, the 400-yard freestyle. The team of Bygdnes, Gulon, Norbye and Suominen defeated the rest of the pack by nearly 10 seconds, racing a time of 3:36.10 as the next closest was 3:46.03.
Alexis Mattson,
Kyleigh McArthur, Kakazu and Williamson made up the other competing Alaska relay team and finished in fifth place with a time of 3:58.19.
Head coach
Becca Weiland saw a ton of improvement from her team as they reached the mid-way point of their season, "We did a phenomenal job as a team this weekend against Seattle U. We had multiple lifetime-best swims, numerous season-best swims and overall fast swimming. The ladies this weekend stepped up to their A-game and got the job done in the pool. This weekend is setting us up for a successful taper-meet next weekend down in Los Angeles."
The Nanooks are off to the Pepperdine Winter Invite next weekend from Friday, Nov. 22 to Sunday, Nov. 24 as they compete and look to qualify for the postseason. The races in Malibu, Calif. will be held at the Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks swim team, follow @NanooksSwim on Twitter, or like the Alaska Nanooks Swim team page on Facebook.
