Complete Meet Results

WINONA, Minn. — All season long, Eric Lindquist has made it perfectly clear — the final team standings didn't matter.

Saturday afternoon, they mattered.

The Cardinal women, fueled by the performances of Sarah Hayden (Chatfield, Minn.), Kasey Schultz (Cary, Ill.) and Danielle Braun (Cold Spring, Minn.), posted the first-ever dual-meet victory in the 12-year history of the program Saturday, picking up a 62-39 win over Augsburg at the Jul Gernes Pool.

"What a phenomenal effort," said Lindquist, whose team did drop a nailbiter to Hamline, 60-45 in the other portion of Saturday's double-dual. "We've come close a couple of times, but we've never been able to put it all together. Today we did that, and every one on this team should feel proud of the accomplishment.

"We had so many good swims today," continued Lindquist. "And I'm not just talking about those people that finished first. For us to be successful, it's not only about the first-place finishes — you have to have the seconds and thirds and fourths as well.

"This was a total team effort, and I couldn't be prouder."

Hayden swept the diving events against both Augsburg and Hamline, while Schultz was a double-winner in both the 1,000 and 500 and Braun just missed breaking the school record of 1:12.74 in the 100 breaststroke, winning in 1:12.92.

"I know I've said all season that the final team scores aren't important, and to be honest, they aren't," said Lindquist, whose men dropped an 87-17 decision at Hamline, despite seaosn-best efforts from Brian Joyce (Chicago, Ill.) in the 200 freestyle (2:21.01) and Steve Weishalla (St. Cloud, Minn.) in the 50 (26.84) and 100 (1:03.32) freestyle. "Our main focus is still on making sure that we peak for the conference championships — that's our No. 1 focus.

"But this win is a big deal," Lindquist added. "It says a lot about the hard work that these ladies have put it.

"What a great early Christmas present as we head into the semester break)