By Rich Fisher | Contributing Editor
In a season when the Notre Dame, Lawrenceville, girls swimming team won nearly everything in sight, it was after the Irish’s lone loss where the squad’s amazing chemistry shined through brighter than ever.
It came on the bus ride home after dropping a 92-78 decision to Our Lady of Mercy Academy, Newfield, in the NJSIAA South Jersey Non-Public A semifinals Feb. 10.
“Our season had just ended and, I kid you not, we were just singing together,” sophomore star Bridget Lowery said. “Someone started crying because of the fact our seniors are leaving us. And we all started crying because we’re just so emotionally connected because we spent so much time together. I think it’s the family aspect that gets me about this team.
“It was like this last year too, but it’s highlighted even more this year. The coaches are definitely good at making sure we’re all together but a lot of it is just the kids on the team.”
That cohesiveness, combined with a lot of young talent, helped the Irish win the Colonial Valley Conference Championship meet at West Windsor-Plainsboro North High School Jan. 24. Notre Dame amassed 264 points to beat out runner-up Princeton by 66.
It was the ND girls first such title since winning the Mercer County championship in 2017.
Lowery, who won the Meet of Champions gold medal in the 500-freestyle last year, admitted it’s a different vibe when the whole team comes together for a title.
“I’ve never been on a team like this, and I’ve never had a team with as much potential to do what we did,” she said. “It was just great. When it’s just a single person versus being with 20 girls; it’s different. We’re all banded together to do one thing, it’s amazing. Our energy was high at the CVCs.”
Lowery’s was especially high as she won four events to claim the meet’s Most Valuable Swimmer honors.
“I was definitely surprised,” she said. “In my mind I knew many other girls who deserved it just as much. I was shocked. I heard the little teaser, and I was like ‘Wait a minute, oh my gosh that’s me!’”
And why not her?
All Lowery did was win the 200 IM (2:22.70) and 400 freestyle (4:30.22) while swimming on the Irish’s winning 200 free relay (1:53.99) and 400 free relay (3:39.87).
Picking up three firsts were freshman Mariia Chaikovska, who was part of both relay teams while also claiming the 200 freestyles (2:08.46).
“She’s a little ball of energy, I love her,” Lowery said. “She’s such a strong swimmer and such a great person too. She always steps up to the plate, no matter what. She’s ready to take on everything you throw at her.”
Rounding out the uber young relay teams were freshmen Maeve McGowan and Heidi Ross. McGowan took third in the 100 back and Ross provided a one-two punch with Lowery by taking third in 200 IM and second in the 400 free.
“Heidi’s probably the girl I’m closest to on the team and it’s really funny because it seems like we’re always in the same events,” Lowery said. “We were with each other the whole time, definitely pushing each other. I go over before the race to get her hyped up and it’s actually the funniest thing in the world.”
Other swimmers who contributed points to the team championship with Top 12 finishes were senior Maddie Schmid, junior Sophia Belfort-Mihalyi, sophomores Reagan Maida and Sofia Chiarello and freshmen Abby Bendas, Jojo Tierney, Lily Bifulco and Emme Harvey.
It was a group that won the Colonial Valley Conference’s Colonial Division with a 7-0 record and finished 9-1 for the season. Lowery and Ross will both swim individual events at the Meet of Champions – where Bridget is the defending 500 free champion – and both relay teams will also compete.
Although the season ended on a down note, Lowery was still upbeat considering ND only loses seniors Claire Bacskai, Caitlin Powers, Leah Zeidman and Schmid – who provided a steady veteran influence.
“I felt pretty good (after the loss), honestly,” Lowery said. “Yeah, we lost, but in my brain, most of our girls are freshmen so it just sets us all up for next year.”