The Packer girls swimming and diving team was in the same pool as one of the best swimmers in the country, but two of Austin’s seniors still found a way to come up with breakthrough performances in Bud Higgins Pool at Ellis Middle School Tuesday.

Albert Lea sophomore Lindsey Horejsi, who was named All-American in the 100-yard breaststroke last season, showed the Packers she wasn’t just a breaststroke swimmer as the Tigers beat the Packers 97-80.

Horesji swam in two relays for the Tigers and she also took first in the 200-yard individual medley and the 100-yard butterfly.

Austin senior Merideth Fritz tried to hang with Horesji in the 100-butterfly, but she had to settle for second as she finished five seconds after the AL swimmer.

“She did the butterfly and she enjoyed it,” Fritz said. “A lot of swimmers wouldn’t like that challenge to do a new stroke. She’s fun to swim against and fun to watch.”

Fritz had a first place finish of her own in the 200-yard freestyle, as she finished strong in the last 100 yards of the race. She was also part of the first place 400-yard freestyle relay team along with Heather Johnson, Brooke Kinney and Mikayla Finney.

“I’m hoping once I get in better shape I’ll do a good job of getting that time down (in the 100),” Fritz said. “It’s fun to see our team as a whole improve already and we’ve only been swimming for two weeks.”

Austin diver Autumn Laury, who took third in the state meet last season, put up a career best dual mark of 213.90 as she took first on Tuesday. Laury nailed her last two dives, coming up with scores of 46.2 and 41.4.

“I was pretty nervous for the first few dives. I just needed to work up a little more confidence and I was good to go,” Laury said. “I was hoping for a 200 (score) at the first meet, but I got a personal best for six dives tonight.”

Laury also got in the pool to swim in the 200-yard medley relay and the 200-yard freestyle relay. She was surprised as she came up with her personal best time for a 50-yard stretch.

“I like (swimming) a lot, as long as I don’t have to swim over a 50,” Laury said. “It was pretty cool to get a personal best without any conditioning.”

AUSTIN RESULTS

200-medley relay: Maddie Kinney, Jessi Bednar, Hannah Schwemmler, Abby Gogolewski (third, 2:05.26); Emma Kleis, Zoe Dolan-Peterson, Jordyn Aakre, Autumn Laury (fourth, 2:15.97)

200-freestyle: Merideth Fritz (first, 2:08.22); Kristina Thorson (fifth, 2:24.26); Paige Sunderman (sixth, 2:27.11)

200-individual medley: Maddie Kinney (fourth, 2:33.30); Jessi Bednar (fifth, 2:49.75); Jordan Aakre (sixth, 3:04.46)

50-freestyle: Heather Johnson (second, 26.85); Mikayla Finney (third, 27.14); Hannah Schwemmler (sixth, 28.21)

Diving: Autumn Laury (first, 213.90); Bailey Corey (second, 153.55); Michelle Erdahl (fourth, 133.05)

100-butterfly: Merideth Fritz (second, 1:05.19); Hannah Schwemmler (fourth, 1:10.34); Jordan Aakre (sixth, 1:28.24)

100-freestyle: Heather Johnson (second, 59.63); Mikayla Finney (third, 1:00.93); Emma Kleis (fifth, 1:02.36)

500-freestyle: Kristina Thorson (second, 6:15.99); Paige Sunderman (fifth, 6:50.24)

200-freestyle relay: Heather Johnson, Merideth Fritz, Hannah Schwemmler, Mikayla Finney (second, 1:48.88); Abby Gogoleski, Autumn Laury, Kristina Thorson, Paige Sunderman (fifth, 2:01.25)

100-backstroke: Maddie Kinney (second, 1:08.08); Elora Hughes (fifth, 1:20.60)

100-breaststroke: Jessi Bednar (fourth, 1:21.14); Zoe Dolan-Peterson (fifth, 1:31.18); Shannan Kelly (sixth, 1:33.01)

400-freestyle relay: Merideth Fritz, Heather Johnson, Brooke Kinney, Mikayla Finney (first, 4:00.07)