With a 193-97 win over Denison, Ohio proved Saturday that a new year does bring change. The Bobcats won its first dual meet this season, after being unable to win its two dual meets against Ohio State and Eastern Michigan.
After having not competed since the Zippy Invitational six weeks ago, the Bobcats left no doubt about wanting to turn the year around and win the first dual meet.
Right from the start, Denison seemed to be tired from a conference meet they won the night before. The Bobcats took the top two spots in the in the opening 200-yard freestyle relay, outscoring the Big Red 15-2. From that point on the Bobcats dominated the meet, winning 14 out of 16 events.
The divers turned in another solid performance by taking the top four in the one-meter competition and the top three spots in the three-meter competition, the divers again outscored the competition – something they have done all season long. Sophomore Haleigh Bartlett placed first in both events and recorded a personal best in the one-meter diving competition.
Although Denison is only a Division III team, the win shouldn’t be taken too lightly. The Bobcats have outscored the Big Red by 96 points – a margin they haven’t reached in any of their wins against the same team in the past seven years. Moreover Ohio not only won 14 events, but came in first and second place in eleven of those events.
All of this comes after Ohio underwent a tough training block over winter break. Ohio coach Greg Werner called his team to the pool deck six hours a day to “break them down and build them back up again.” The swimmers were only allowed a seven-day leave over Christmas and had to be back before New Years Eve.
am794811@ohiou.edu
