TACOMA, Wash. - The Pacific Lutheran University men's and women's swimming teams are preparing for its final dual meet of the season, honoring the 2019 seniors and taking on crosstown rival University of Puget Sound on Saturday at the PLU Pool. 
 
The women's team is coming off of a very successful weekend sweep of Northwest Conference foes. The Lutes won both of their meets, taking down Linfield College 104-101 to open the weekend. Friday was an exciting day as the Lutes had a second half charge to take the win. The victory was ensured in the final event of the day as Sydney Bishoff, Alex Shannon, Kaycee Simpson, and Victoria Nguyenle finished second in the 200-yard freestyle relay by two-hundredths of a second to give PLU the necessary points for the win. The team's second victory wasn't as much of a nail biter as the Lutes lapped Pacific University, 159-38. 
 
The women will have a competitive meet as the Loggers are coming to the PLU Pool after a successful senior day of their own. UPS is bringing in a senior heavy squad that just defeated Willamette University in their last home event of the season. 
 
Saturday's meet will be the final home swim for seniors Taylor Bingea, Sydney Bishoff, Ingrid Straume, and Kylie Webb. This year's seniors have made a tremendous impact on the program, winning Northwest Conference Championships in 2016 and 2017, finishing runner-up last season and owning an impressive 26-2 record in conference dual meets. But for the seniors, some of their top memories have nothing to do with the Lutes' competitive success. 
 
"My favorite memories of the swim team were all from our training trips to San Diego," said Ingrid Straume. "The beach workouts on Pacific Beach and Coronado were so hard, but so fun. My other favorite memory was meeting my class after transferring and going on the sophomore retreat. I'm so lucky to have swam three years with the best senior class ever!"
 
Last weekend, the PLU men's squad had a 1-1 performance. The team had a tough meet against Linfield with a late surge coming up short in a 114-91 setback. A quick bounce back was in store as the Lutes showed their resilience and trounced Pacific 129-48. Jeff Lozensky shined bright, winning three events against the Boxers. 
 
For the UPS men's team, similar to the women, it was a triumphant last weekend so the team will be coming to PLU with some momentum. The Loggers defeated Willamette 144.5-62.5 and should provide a good final test for the Lutes. 
 
As the seniors reflected on their career, it's easy to see that this is a tight knit group that competes for each other. 
 
"I will never forget how motivated I felt by seeing and hearing the excitement of my teammates while I was swimming in a very tight 1650 at conference championships last year," said Bradley Jerome. "I realized how lucky I was to be able to participate in college athletics and be able to meet all of these people."
 
Jacob Goodman shared a similar tune. 
 
"There are lots of my favorite memories from the pool. Personally mine has been that feeling of winning a race whether in practice or in a meet that you have to push your body to the absolute limit and you know all the 5:45 am practices were worth it. As a team it's been the jumping over lane lines to show unity and eating breakfasts at the UC together with grunting in-between bites after a good practice. As a senior its knowing that within a few weeks I will be a "swammer" and that the nine of us have finished four great years of doing what we love."
 
Jerome and Goodman will be joined by teammates Jackson Curtis, Sam Kawakami, and Elijah Singstad in racing in their final home meets. The 2019 men's seniors have racked up a 21-7 record in NWC dual meets over the past four seasons while placing in the top half of the conference at the NWC Championships every year, including a runner-up finish in 2017 for the program's best showing since 1996.
 
Saturday's dual gets underway at 1 p.m. at the PLU Pool with a Senior Day Ceremony getting underway prior to the first race of the day.