Nevada swimmers second in pentathlon

Nevada Lady Tiger swimmer Kellie Cooper is just shy of reaching the turn during Thursday's Pentathlon meet in Carthage. Nevada was second as a team, losing only to Joplin.

By Joe Warren

Nevada Herald

The Nevada Lady Tiger swim team finished second out of five schools during the Carthage Pentathlon swim meet Thursday.

Nevada scored 48 points, finishing well behind Joplin but 10 points ahead of Southwest Conference rival Carthage.

Joplin, an area swimming power, finished with 111 points to easily win the meet.

The pentathlon featured the 200-yard Individual Medley, the 100 butterfly, 100 backstroke, 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke. Teams were allowed to enter as many swimmers as they wanted in each of the events, but scoring was done only for those who swam in all five events.

Nevada had five swimmers competing for points as Kristen Badgley, Brittany Braucher, Claire Hissink, Diedre Stacy and Emily Ricketts each braved doing all five events.

Nevada coach Dave Ketterman said the increased work actually produced quick times.

There were 24 personal records set at the meet.

"I couldn't believe that we had so many kids who swam that much better (than previously)," Ketterman said. "The meet also gave me a chance to get some times on kids in events they don't normally swim."

Badgley finished third overall as an individual, Braucher was 11th, Hissink 12th and Stacy 13th. Badgley won both the butterfly and backstroke events.

"It's kind of a fun meet for our kids, it's a little different," Ketterman said.

Nevada will compete in a quadrangular at Carthage Tuesday as they get back into a normal swim-meet schedule.