PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles girls swim team put up a spirited performance but fell to a strong North Kitsap team 121-63.
Though the Vikings took nine of the twelve events in Friday’s meet, the Roughriders swimmers showcased individual triumphs, achieving several personal bests throughout the meet.
Head coach Sally Cole praised the team’s resilience.
“We had some great swims tonight. Everyone’s working hard, and it’s paying off with personal bests all around,” she said.
The meet opened with the 200 medley relay, where the team of Brooke St. Luise, Lizzy Shaw, Amayah Nelson and Danika Asgeirsson secured second. North Kitsap dominated the early individual events, sweeping the 200 freestyle and taking first place in the 200 IM, though Port Angeles’ Chloe Kay-Sanders kept it close by finishing second in this race.
Port Angeles got its first taste of victory in the 50 freestyle, thanks to a clutch swim from Lizzy Shaw. Teammates Sally Kasten and Shavari Epps placed fifth and sixth, both clocking season-best times. In diving, Lynzee Reid gave a standout performance, narrowly missing first place by just 0.85 points.
North Kitsap continued to show its depth by taking the top two spots in the 100 butterfly, with Nelson battling her way to third for the Riders. The Roughriders answered back in the 100 freestyle as St. Luise claimed the team’s second victory of the night. Lilly Mahaney swam a remarkable personal best, dropping five seconds to take fifth, and Epps continued to show progress, trimming 2.65 seconds off her previous best time.
The night’s final win for Port Angeles came in the 500 freestyle. Nelson outpaced the competition for first, while Emerson DuBois and Mia Francis finished fourth and fifth with personal improvements of five and two seconds, respectively.
The 200 freestyle relay team of Asgeirsson, St. Luise, Shaw and Reid delivered a competitive swim to secure their silver spot.
In the 100 backstroke, Asgeirsson earned another second-place finish with a personal-best time. The Vikings swept the 100 breaststroke, but Shaw came within a second of capturing third.
The meet wrapped up with the 400 freestyle relay, where Reid, DuBois Nelson and Francis battled their way to second.
The Port Angeles swimmers will travel to Klahowya on Wednesday.
