In a heated match up with first place Mid-American Conference rival Miami (12-1 overall, 7-0 MAC), the Ohio women's swimming and diving team (8-2-1, 4-2-1 MAC) saw its 54-meet home winning streak come to an end Friday night. Despite three multiple-event winners, eight event victories and season-best times, the Bobcats fell by a margin of 177-123.
Ohio was led by freshman standouts Michaela Hahn-Lawson and Ilse Petersen.
They've been quite instrumental in the success we've had up to this point
Ohio coach Greg Werner said.
Hahn-Lawson captured three individual events, recording season-and lifetime-best times in each. Petersen won both distance freestyle events, including a season-best time of 10:21.94 in the 1000 freestyle. Both Hahn-Lawson and Petersen helped Ohio win the 200 medley relay. As for the diving competition Ohio diver Debbie Thornbury won both the 1-and 3-meter diving events, setting a lifetime-best in the 1-meter.
They (Miami) have a girl who's a junior who's been to the NCAA Championships the last two years diving coach Russ Dekker said. With Debbie beating her on both boards I know that gave Debbie a lot of confidence in her diving.
The following day both Ohio men's (1-6, 0-4 MAC) and women's swimming teams honored their seniors in their last home meet against Ball State.
The men managed to come up with some outstanding performances and season-best times, despite losing to Ball State, 176-122. Seniors Mike Shelby and Brian Teske led the way for Ohio. Shelby took the 100 backstroke and 100 fly while Teske had two strong second-place finishes. Teske managed to capture a season-best time for Ohio in the 100 breast (1:00.31) despite placing second.
Shelby also led off for the winning 400 free relay, which was a dramatic come-from-behind win.
Greg always likes to say
'If you can't win the meet
win the last event
' and that's what we did
Teske said.
I was really proud of them
Werner said. To hang in there and keep fighting
not give up ... it showed what type of team we have.
During Saturday's meet, the women began a new home meet winning streak, defeating Ball State 171-129. Ohio's seniors led the way to victory claiming six of the 12 events that Ohio won.
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