January 22, 1999
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - With state bragging rights on the line, the Purdue women's swim team defeated their arch-rival Indiana, 164-136 at Lambert Pool on Jan. 22 behind eight individual victories and one relay win. This was the first Boilermaker victory over the Hoosiers in four years. The seniors on this year's squad came in beating the Hoosiers in their first year and they go out beating them in their final regular season. With the help of three multiple-event winners and 1-2 finish in three events, Purdue upped its record to 8-4 overall and 3-1 against Big Ten Conference foes.
"This was a total team effort tonight," Purdue coach Cathy-Wright Eger said with a grin from ear-to-ear. "Everyone had their role to fill, and they did it to perfection today. We told our ladies to go out there and beat them now and not wait until the Big Ten's."
Indiana got things started with a win in the 200-medley relay as the team of Jennifer Christy, Becky Kamberg, Jennifer Brooks and Sarah Jacobs raced to victory with a time of 1:46.5. The Purdue team of sophomores Missy Bromley and Brianna Reina, freshman Katie Mullarkey and sophomore Ginger Lakos finished second in 1:47.88.
In the 1000 freestyle, freshman Leslie Lorenz continued to swim well this year as the Seattle, Wash. native pulled away from the competition and breezed to victory in 10:25.82.
Lakos stayed strong in the last 75 yards in the 200 freestyle edging out Meghan Rice in 1:53.16. Purdue freshman Katie Mullarkey swam well finishing third in 1:54.53.
In the 100 backstroke, the Boilers swept the top two spots with sophomore Jen Alden and senior Kathy Barker winning in times of 58.97 and 59.05, respectively.
Senior Tracy Storrier swam to victory in the 100 breaststroke as she touched the wall first in 1:06.77, two-tenths of a second ahead of Becky Kamberg in 1:06.97.
Indiana recorded first-place finishes in the 200 fly and 50 free to close the margin on the Boilermakers. Jennifer Brooks swam to victory in the 200 fly finishing in 2:03.77, while Purdue's senior Katie Hasbrook placed second in 2:06.49 and freshman Karin Stender placed third in 2:06.54. In the 50 free, Jennifer Christy placed first in 23.67, edging out Erika Whyte in 23.99.
Earlier in the day in Bloomington, Ind., sophomore Kara Hajek won the one-meter diving and placed third in the three-meters. The diving competition was held on Indiana's campus at Counsilman Aqautic Center.
In the 100 free, Whyte placed second in 52.13 just getting edged out by Indiana's Jennifer Christy in 51.85.
With the pressure mounting, the Boilers responded in classic fashion as Barker kicked it in the last 25 yards outlasting Amanda Noblet with a time of 2:06.59.
In the 200 breaststroke, Reinna proved stronger than the competition as she cruised to victory in a time of 2:22.48. Storrier added a solid performance as the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native, placed second in 2:22.70.
Leslie Lorenz got out fast and maintained her pace in the 500 free as she rolled to victory in 5:05.30. Junior Kristen Batzer swam well as she placed second in a lifetime-best of 5:07.47. Batzer placed second by four-tenths of a second.
"Kristen Batzer swam awesome today," Wright-Eger said. "Ever since Christmas training, she has gone above and beyond the call of duty. Her performance today was unbelievable." Last weekend, the St. John, Ind. native, had a third and fifth-place showing against the 12-time defending Big Ten Champions from Michigan.
Indiana's Jennifer Brooks led from the start to win the 100 butterfly in 55.86. Whyte placed second in 58.42, while senior Katie Hasbrook placed third in 58.81.
In the 400 IM, Indiana's Helena Wilhelm (4:31.60) had just enough in the final 50 yards to hold off Purdue's Stender by .16 second.
In the final event of the evening, the 400 free relay, the Purdue team of Whyte, Bromley, Lively and Lakos swam their excellent splits winning the relay and securing the Boilers' victory with a time of 3:29.76.
Wright-Eger and company will have little time to savor the victory as they host the Northwestern Wildcats on Jan. 23 at 1 p.m. at Lambert Pool. At approximately, 12:50 p.m., the Boilers will honor their seven seniors who will be making their final appearance at Lambert Pool.