MONROE - The Monroe-New Glarus girls swim team won eight of the 11 events in a dual meet Tuesday to clip Stoughton 90-79 at the Green County YMCA.
After winning their first conference dual meet in five years earlier this season, the Cheesemakers (5-3, 3-3 Badger South) have now won three straight conference duals.
New Glarus sophomore Maddie Hammer said the Cheesemakers are shocking teams in the conference this year.
"I think we are all more dedicated to practicing hard and winning the meets," Hammer said. "The team just keeps getting better and better. I'm really happy the team was able to do it. We have won three meets in a row now. We have come a long ways since last year."
Monroe-New Glarus competed in the meet without junior Skylar Lassen who sat out the meet since she had four wisdom teeth pulled recently.
Monroe-New Glarus coach Linda Moser is aware that success in the pool as a team goes in cycles for many programs.
"We have been working to build a program and win a conference dual the last few years," Moser said. "Every program goes through a downfall and when you come out of it you shock teams. McFarland and Stoughton have done it. It's the ups and downs of the sport. It's part of the nature of the beast."
Hammer won the 200-meter individual medley with a time of 2 minutes, 38.79 seconds, and she won the 100 breaststroke with a season-best time of 1:21.74.
"I felt really good with the 200 IM even though it's really tiring," Hammer said. "In the 100 breast, it was my best time. It puts a positive mindset towards conference and sectionals."
Monroe sophomore Grace Keith won the 100 butterfly (1:15.21), and senior Abby Oudinot won the 50 freestyle (29.76), which was about one second ahead of Stoughton's Sophie Pitney.
New Glarus freshman Nina Schiro won the 100 freestyle (1:07.51) in one of the closest races of the meet. Schiro edged Stoughton freshman Sophia Thompson by 0.23 seconds.
The Cheesemakers won all three relays. Keith and Hammer teamed with senior Anna Wolf and Oudinot to win the 200 medley relay (2:14.59). Hammer teamed with senior Anna Meritt, freshman Emily Meritt and Oudinot to win the 200 freestyle relay (2:03.28). The Cheesemakers' 400 freestyle relay team of Oudinot, Schiro, Wolf and Keith won in 4:27.70, which was about four seconds ahead of the Vikings.
Moser said each swimmer set three individual goals for this season, and the team set three goals.
"Their No. 1 goal is to get at least one relay to state," Moser said. "They were so close last year, and it just slipped out of their hands."
Monroe will swim at the Fort Atkinson Invitational on Saturday. The Cheesemakers will host Madison Edgewood in their final conference dual meet Oct. 20. The Badger South Conference meet is slated for Oct. 31.
"They have worked very hard to get to this point," Moser said. "We are still coming out of the turns behind."
Moser doesn't expect Lassen to swim in Fort Atkinson on Saturday.
"That will be her parents' decision," Moser said. "I would err on the side of caution. She needs to be healthy and rested for conference and sectionals. We can't take that risk at this point."
After winning their first conference dual meet in five years earlier this season, the Cheesemakers (5-3, 3-3 Badger South) have now won three straight conference duals.
New Glarus sophomore Maddie Hammer said the Cheesemakers are shocking teams in the conference this year.
"I think we are all more dedicated to practicing hard and winning the meets," Hammer said. "The team just keeps getting better and better. I'm really happy the team was able to do it. We have won three meets in a row now. We have come a long ways since last year."
Monroe-New Glarus competed in the meet without junior Skylar Lassen who sat out the meet since she had four wisdom teeth pulled recently.
Monroe-New Glarus coach Linda Moser is aware that success in the pool as a team goes in cycles for many programs.
"We have been working to build a program and win a conference dual the last few years," Moser said. "Every program goes through a downfall and when you come out of it you shock teams. McFarland and Stoughton have done it. It's the ups and downs of the sport. It's part of the nature of the beast."
Hammer won the 200-meter individual medley with a time of 2 minutes, 38.79 seconds, and she won the 100 breaststroke with a season-best time of 1:21.74.
"I felt really good with the 200 IM even though it's really tiring," Hammer said. "In the 100 breast, it was my best time. It puts a positive mindset towards conference and sectionals."
Monroe sophomore Grace Keith won the 100 butterfly (1:15.21), and senior Abby Oudinot won the 50 freestyle (29.76), which was about one second ahead of Stoughton's Sophie Pitney.
New Glarus freshman Nina Schiro won the 100 freestyle (1:07.51) in one of the closest races of the meet. Schiro edged Stoughton freshman Sophia Thompson by 0.23 seconds.
The Cheesemakers won all three relays. Keith and Hammer teamed with senior Anna Wolf and Oudinot to win the 200 medley relay (2:14.59). Hammer teamed with senior Anna Meritt, freshman Emily Meritt and Oudinot to win the 200 freestyle relay (2:03.28). The Cheesemakers' 400 freestyle relay team of Oudinot, Schiro, Wolf and Keith won in 4:27.70, which was about four seconds ahead of the Vikings.
Moser said each swimmer set three individual goals for this season, and the team set three goals.
"Their No. 1 goal is to get at least one relay to state," Moser said. "They were so close last year, and it just slipped out of their hands."
Monroe will swim at the Fort Atkinson Invitational on Saturday. The Cheesemakers will host Madison Edgewood in their final conference dual meet Oct. 20. The Badger South Conference meet is slated for Oct. 31.
"They have worked very hard to get to this point," Moser said. "We are still coming out of the turns behind."
Moser doesn't expect Lassen to swim in Fort Atkinson on Saturday.
"That will be her parents' decision," Moser said. "I would err on the side of caution. She needs to be healthy and rested for conference and sectionals. We can't take that risk at this point."
