GUNNISON, Colo. – This Saturday the Adams State Women's Swim Team traveled up to Gunnison, Colorado to face off against Western Colorado for the third time this season for a Saturday afternoon meet.
 
Kicking off the meet for the Grizzlies was a relay team of Olivia Beames, Natasha Murphy, Megan Dudden, and Claudia Garcia that finished 2^nd in the 200 Yard Medley Relay, only two seconds behind Western Colorado's 1^st place finish. Following the relay teams strong performance was Madison Rincon and Leila Atumah with a 2^nd and 3^rd place finish (respectively) in the 1000 Yard Freestyle.
 
Continuing the strong finishes was Davin Ruggles with a 2^nd place finish in the 200 Yard Freestyle with a time of 2:05.77 which was only 2 seconds behind Western Colorado. Dudden struck soon after in the 50 Yard Freestyle, also earning herself a 2^nd place finish in her event.
 
Garcia, who is typically a Freestyler or Breaststroker swam in the 100 Yard Fly, an event she doesn't typically swim, but one that she finished 3^rd in with a time of 1:06.62. Ruggles swam another Freestyle event, performing in the 500 and finishing in 2^nd place only a few second behind the 1^st place finish of Western Colorado.
 
Beames swam in the 100 Yard Breastroke, competing against quite a few Mountaineers, but managed to pull out a 2^nd place finish. She then hopped out to swim in the 400 Yard Freestyle Relay, participating in one that unfortunately got disqualified. However, the Grizzlies other relay team of Garcia, Dudden, McMurtrey, and Ruggles finished 2^nd, almost defeating the Mountaineers. They finished with a time of 3:53.34, only .09 seconds behind Western's relay team that finished in 1^st place.
 
Although the Grizzlies swam well and placed high, the Mountaineers numbers ultimately led them to the win over Adams. Western Colorado earned 155 points, keeping the Grizzlies to a mere 50 points. While the deficit seems large, it does not accurately portray how the meet went for the Grizzlies. The Grizzlies had strong finishes whether they were swimming their usual event or not, many swimmers finishing in the top three in their individual events or relay events.
 
Despite the meet not going how they wanted, the Grizzlies have to be proud of their strong finishes and performances against one of the better teams in their conference.
 
The Grizzlies will return home and rest up, getting as much practice in as they can to prepare them for Conferences (RMAC Championships) in mid-February. They will have a few weeks before traveling to Grand Junction February 12^th. Until then, the Adams State Women's  (and Men's) team will look to build their strength and shave time off every event they can.