KERNERSVILLE — Surry Central senior swimmer Lyncee Kowalcik wasn’t feeling too hot Monday as her team headed down to Kernersville for its toughest test of the season against defending Northwest Conference champion Bishop McGuinness. Once the meet finished, Kowalcik and her teammates couldn’t have felt better after wrapping up an undefeated regular season for the fourth consecutive year with a 109-70 victory over the Villains.

“Once I got there I put my mind in the pool and tried to swim,” said Kowalcik, who was still under the weather Tuesday night. “I was 100 percent just because I knew the pressure was on.”

Kowalcik showed her skills by winning the 50-meter freestyle and 100 backstroke. She was also part of two winning relay teams: 200 medley and 400 freestyle. Kirstin Gardner also won four events. She claimed first in the 200 and 100 freestyles and was on the same relay teams as Kowalcik.

The 50 freestyle was a showdown between Kowalcik and Bishop’s Rose O’Shea, possibly the two best swimmers in the conference in that event.

“I was kind of excited to swim against Rose O’Shea,” Kowalcik said. “Their coach said the 50 free is her specialty and I guess that’s my specialty too. When that finished, I was pretty pumped up.”

Surry Central coach Dara Kowalcik said several of her swimmers came down with something before the meet, including her daughter, Lyncee. But that didn’t slow the Golden Eagles (9-0). The victory means that seniors Kirstin Gardner, Allee Taylor, Haley Comer and Kowalcik have never lost a regular season meet.

“It was awesome,” Taylor said of capping the regular season with a win over the defending champs. “It felt great to do that and be undefeated for all four years. Our team’s worked really hard to be undefeated for four years and it’s a good feeling to have.”

The Golden Eagles joined the Northwest this season after dominating the Mountain Valley for the past several years. The girls hope Monday’s win is a prelude of future success in their new conference.

“It meant a lot for everyone,” said Taylor, who won the 100 breaststroke. “It wasn’t just important to the seniors, it was important to everyone.”

Leading up to the meet, Central swimmers had Bishop on the brain. Once it came time to compete, the girls said they felt nervous.

“It was kind of like any other meet, but I think everyone else was nervous,” Taylor said. “We know it was a big meet and it was important. I think everyone was nervous, to tell you the truth.

“You just got to put that aside and do your best and that’s all that matters.”

Contact Ed Phillipps at ephillipps@mtairynews.com or 719-1921.