Owls Swim to Victory in Florida

Keene N.H., 1/18/2007 - Looking to escape the cold weather and work on their conditioning, the Keene State College swim teams spent a week in the Sunshine State during the break. It wasn’t all fun in the sun for the Owls, who concluded their weeklong trip with dual meet wins over Alma (Mich.) College at Indian River Community College in Fort Pierce, Fla.

The Owls had to work a little harder to post their victories, competing in a 50-meter Olympic-size pool instead of the usual 25-meter pool.

The Keene State men won 126-82 and the Owl women prevailed 121-89. Sophomore Cody Larrimore (Trappe, Md.) and Dan Theleen (Southbury, Conn.) were double winners for the KSC men (5-0).

Sophomores Jackie Foster (Bedford, N.H.) and Alea Paddock (Newbury, N.H.) and freshman Jessica Laidley (Brockton, Mass.) had a pair of first-place performances for the Owl women’s team.

The conditioning trip paid early dividends for the KSC women’s team. The owls won 15 of the 16 events and set four pool records Wednesday evening en route to a 170-94 victory over Plymouth State University.

The Owls, who remain undefeated in dual meets this year at 6-0, have defeated Plymouth State in all 10 meets since moving to Division III in 1997-98.

Five individuals were double-winners for the Owls, led by Foster and Laidley, who also set individual pool records.

The Owls also opened and closed the meet with pool records in two relay events.