SVM area roundup: Sterling girls swim to third at Western Big 6 Meet; Madison Austin named WB6 Swimmer of the Year

The Sterling girls swim team took third at the Western Big 6 Meet on Saturday at the Duis Center, scoring 270 points to finish behind Moline (305) and Galesburg (281).

Madison Austin won two individual events and swam legs on two runner-up relays for the Water Warriors, and she was voted by the conference coaches as the Western Big 6 Swimmer of the Year.

She won the 50 freestyle (25.35 seconds) and 100 free (55.37), and teamed with Payton Purdy, Sammie Knox and Hazel Pham to take second in the 200 medley relay (1:59.05), and joined Knox, Kate Austin and Pham to finish second in the 400 freestyle relay (3:53.13).

Knox also added a second place in the 200 IM (2:25.33). Kate Austin was third in both the 200 free (2:08.06) and 500 free (5:51.82), and Pham took third in the 100 free (59.01). Emily Lofgren, Chloe Clark, Purdy and Kate Austin swam to third in the 200 free relay (1:55.14) for Sterling.

College volleyball

Skyhawks 1-3 in Champaign: Sauk Valley lost to three top-20 teams at the Parkland Invite before finishing their trip with a win in straight sets over the weekend.

On Friday, Sauk (20-20) lost 22-25, 25-16, 27-25, 25-21 to No. 9 Heartland, then fell 25-15, 25-22, 25-15 to No. 20 Lincoln Land. On Saturday, the Skyhawks lost to No. 1 Parkland 25-12, 25-18, 25-18, then bounced back to beat Olivet Nazarene 25-14, 25-21, 25-15.

Maya Gartin had 29 kills and six blocks, Jaelyn Fitzgerald spiked 28 kills, and Nicole Boelens added 25 kills and 75 digs for Sauk. Tiana Tichler had 17 kills and six blocks, Reagan Oster added 11 kills and 51 digs, and Kara Stoecker stuffed eight blocks. Gabby Jones dished 47 assists and served seven aces, Cadence Stonitsch added 46 assists and 20 digs, and Mckenzie Hecht chipped in 47 digs for the Skyhawks.

Sauk plays in the Region IV Tournament on Saturday and Sunday at the College of Lake County in Grayslake.