By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — It was a final tune-up for the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota swimming and diving teams.
 
And if their performances in their dual against Hamline is any indication, the Cardinals appear to be a well-oiled machine.
 
In their final competitive action before the three-day, season-ending Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships on Feb. 15-17, the Cardinals put together many of their best swims of the season against the Pipers.
 
The Cardinal women took center stage at the Jul Gernes Pool, posting six, first-place finishes and 16 top-three showings in beating the Pipers 112-104. The Cardinal men came out on the short end of a 154-49 decision, but garnered three firsts and eight top-3s.
 
Brooke Shefchik (Stevens Point, Wis.) led the way for the Cardinal women, winning both the 500 (5:44.77) and 1,000 (11:50.67) freestyle events, while Erica Camarato (Deforest, Wis.) added a first in the 200 IM (2:36.46), Emme Quandt (Shawano, Wis.) won the 100 butterfly (1:11.30), and Kayla Boettcher (Colfax, Wis.) and Kierra Walske (Rochester, Minn.) took top honors in the two diving events—Boettcher placing first in the 1-meter (181.90) and Walske taking the top spot in the 3-meter (199.15).
 
Camarato's showing in the 200 IM was just the start of the busy day for the freshman, who also placed second in the 100 backstroke (1:14.26) and the 100 breaststroke (1:19.24). Quandt chipped in a second in the 200 IM (2:39.44), while Alyssa Haram (Maple Grove, Minn.) delivered second-place efforts in both the 200 freestyle (2:14.58) and 100 butterfly (1:13.69), not to mention a third in the 500 freestyle (5:50.98.
 
Walske (1-meter diving, 181.30) and Amanda Hansen (Brooklyn Park, Minn. / 1,000 freestyle, 12:50.71) also recorded second-place performances, while Claire King (Red Wing, Minn.) was third in both the 50 (27.58) and 100 freestyle (1:01.01), and Hanna Emeott (Chisago City, Minn.) chipped in a third in the 200 freestyle (2:18.42).
 
On the men's side, Jack Wells (Glenview, Ill.) led the Cardinal charge, placing first in both the 50 (22.58) and 100 (51.16) freestyle events, with Griffin Rades (Shawano, Wis.) chipping in a first in the 200 IM (2:08.26) and seconds in both the 100 back stroke (58.56) and 100 breaststroke (1:04.77). Brian Mockler (Dubuque, Iowa) notched a second in the 500 freestyle (5:27.37) and a third in the 200 freestyle (2:03.21), and Nick Sawchuk (Rochester, Minn.) marked his collegiate diving debut by posting a third-place finish in the 1-meter diving (119.70).