Last year's season-opening win at Lakeville spurred the Austin High School girls' swimming and diving team to a stellar campaign in the pool. Hopes of duplicating the momentous triumph sank in the tank when the Panthers exacted revenge 98-85 Friday at Ellis Middle School.

Lakeville split event victories with host Austin, but the Panthers' depth and a Packer injury brought about the end of the race for the team victory. Senior Meghan Walsh, the school record-holder in the 200 individual medley, suffered an undisclosed shoulder injury while finishing third in her best event.

Austin shuffled its swimming lineup but never got closer than eight points to a Lakeville team determined to defend their honor.

"They generally come out and swim the fastest they can," said Austin coach Lynn Gulbrandson. "I think they came out with something to prove tonight.

"They're always going to come down here with a quality team."

Danielle Chapek and Jori Baldus finished 1-2 in the diving competition to vault Austin to within eight points of the Panthers, who responed with a 1-2-3 sweep in the next event -- the 100 butterfly. Walsh has finished in the top eight at the Class A state meet in the butterfly each of the last two seasons.

"It's not worth risking an injury for the rest of the season," Walsh said. "It's kind of frustrating watching the meet, but I don't want to risk missing the rest of the season for the team."

Even with Walsh, it didn't seem as though Lakeville was going to be defeated. The Panthers swept the 100 backstroke and the 100 breaststroke to lock up the dual-meet victory.

Junior Lauren Goettsch won a pair of individual events -- the 50 and 100 freestyle -- and opened for the victorious 200 freestyle relay team. Stacy Bjorlie and Lindsay Lukes -- defending state qualifiers in the 500 freestyle -- finished 1-2 in the 200 freestyle. The same duo finished 2-4 in the 500, and both helped out in the winning 200 and 400 freestyle relays.

"We have high expectations for this year, but a couple things didn't go our way tonight," Goettsch said. "Mentally I don't think everybody was prepared, but we got our warm-up out of the way.

"We want to take it one step higher this year, but we can't be over-confident."

Austin lost only one dual meet last season -- to Big Nine Conference champion Faribault -- en route to placing fifth as a team at the Class A state meet. Faribault finished fifth in Class AA.

The Packers, 0-1 to start the season, host Rochester Mayo Tuesday night at 6 p.m. at Ellis. The Packers make the trip to Faribault on Thursday.

"We were hoping to win tonight, but that's OK," said senior sprinter Amanda Martin. "This leaves us room for improvement."

Results:

(Winners and Austin placewinners)

200 medley relay -- 1. Lakeville 1:58.96, 3. Austin (Beth Goskesen, Chrissy Srock, Meghan Walsh, Lauren Goettsch) 2:00.01; 200 freestyle -- 1. Stacy Bjorlie (A) 2:03.05, 2. Lindsay Lukes (A) 2:04.04; 200 individual medley -- 1. Kara Janus (L) 2:20.17, 3. Walsh (A) 2:25.84, 5. Nicole Novak (A) 2:34.02; 50 freestyle -- 1. Goettsch (A) 25.75, 4. Amanda Martin (A) 26.79.

Diving -- 1. Danielle Chapek (A) 213.30, 2. Jori Baldus (A) 151.90, 5. Allison Hackensmith (A) 113.35; 100 butterfly -- 1. Janus (L) 1:04.38, 4. Novak (A) 1:07.31, 5. Cassie Srock (A) 1:11.94; 100 freestyle -- 1. Goettsch (A) 56.34, 5. Martin (A) 1:01.10; 500 freestyle -- 1. Tina Gabbert (L) 5:37.99, 2. Bjorlie (A) 5:38.88, 4. Lukes (A) 5:50.74.

200 freestyle relay -- 1. Austin (Goettsch, Martin, Lukes, Bjorlie) 1:44.54; 100 backstroke -- 1. Sammy Haus (L) 1:05.87, 4. Goskesen (A) 1:08.72, 5. Briana Walsh (A) 1:10.80; 100 breaststroke -- 1. Marie Laudenbach (L) 1:14.72, 4. Cassie Srock (A) 1:32.23, 5. Stephanie Gorman (A) 1:32.49; 400 freestyle relay -- 1. Austin (Bjorlie, Chrissy Srock, Lukes, Martin) 3:55.20.

Call Ross Thede at 434-2234 or e-mail him at :mailto:sports@austindailyherald.com.