By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — There was a reason Saint Mary's University of Minnesota swimming and diving coach Amber Lowe left the Jul Gernes Pool Saturday afternoon with a smile on her face.
 
The Cardinals' stellar season-opening performances will do that to a coach.
 
Saint Mary's combined for seven first-place finishes — not to mention 12 second-place efforts — as the Cardinals split their duals against Iowa Lakes Community College, with the men winning 93-75, while the women dropped a 99-91 decision.
 
Griffin Rades (Shawano, Wis.) — coming off a record-setting freshman campaign — picked up right where he left off, winning both the 200 freestyle (2:00.65) and 100 freestyle (52.93), while placing second in the 100 IM (1:00.85). Darren Anes Dy Quiangco (Rochester, Minn.) and brother Josh Anes Dy Quingco chipped in firsts in the 50 breaststroke (31.43) and 50 backstroke (28.41), while the 200 medley relay team of both Anes Dy Quiangco brothers, Rades, and Cole Stepanovich (St. Francis, Wis.) touched the wall in a first-place time of 1:48.30 and the 200 freestyle relay team of Alex Morrow (Stevens Point, Wis.), Casey Hanson (Grand Rapids, Minn.), Jack Wells (Glenview, Ill.), and Nicholas Sawchuk (Rochester, Minn.) added a first-place effort of 1:39.45.
 
Morrow also posted a pair of seconds in the 500 freestyle (5:35.13) and 1000 freestyle (11:17.36), with Hanson collecting seconds in the 200 freestyle (2:22.14) and 100 freestyle (59.23), and Stepanovich adding a second in the 50 freestyle (24.57).
 
On the women's side, Brooke Shefchik (Stevens Point, Wis.) delivered a first in the 1000 freestyle (11:45.13) and a second in the 500 freestyle (5:55.11), with Ashley Seifert (Austin, Texas / 200 freestyle, 2:15.98 * 50 butterfly, 31.67), Katie Beitz (Blaine, Minn. / 50 freestyle, 27.77 * 100 freestyle, 1:01.82 ) each adding a pair of second-place efforts.
 
Seifert, Beitz teamed with Amanda Hansen and Erica Camarato to win the 200 medley (2:10.96), while the team of Dakota Becerra (Yorba Linda, Calif.), Colby Peterson (Menomonie, Wis.), Emme Quandt (Shawano, Wis.), and Claire King (Red Wing, Minn.) placed second (2:21.59). Shefchik, King, Beitz, and Kizzy Bell (St.Paul, Minn.) also delivered a second-place relay effort in the 200 freestyle (1:52.64).
 
The Cardinals are back in action next weekend, hosting St. Norbert in a 6 p.m. dual on Friday at the Jul Gernes Pool, before heading to St. Paul, Minn., to take part in the Hamline Invitational the following day.