MIDDLETON — Quality overcomes quantity, and the Madison East prep girls swimming team proved that statement true again Friday night.

In their first meet since winning the WIAA Division 1 state championship last November with six swimmers, the Purgolders opened the Big Eight Conference season with an 87-83 victory over host Middleton.

"I think it's pretty big," East coach Matt Matteson said. "Coming off the state championship last year, we knew we had to work harder this year. ... Starting the season against a team like Middleton is awesome. I'm very excited about how we swam."

The Purgolders — with only 14 swimmers on this year's team — won 10 of 11 events. Junior Becca Soderholm, sophomore Aja Van Hout and senior Ruby Martin all won two individual events, and each was part of two winning relay teams.

"It's a great way to start off the year," Martin said. "I'm so excited about this year. We're so close. Having such a small team, it puts so much more pressure on every point and everyone has to step up."

For Middleton, which placed third at the Division 1 state meet last season, the dual was a case of close-but-not-quite.

"Their top swimmers are at an elite level. They're fantastic swimmers," first-year Cardinals coach Lauren Wencel said of East. "I told the girls we can take a lot from this. We really got in there and raced. They really impressed me tonight."

As for the Purgolders, any talk of a second straight state championship is premature. But Matteson believes in his group.

"Small numbers works for us," Matteson said. "We get a lot of work into the practices. The girls become closer when you've only got 14 girls. ... We take pride in it, that we can go out and do this."