Jan. 19, 2004
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue women's swim team improved its record to 4-3 overall, with a 184.5-112.5 win over Michigan State at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center on Saturday, Jan. 17. The loss dropped the Spartans' record to 1-6.
The Boilermakers rebounded from a loss at Indiana on Friday to post the decisive victory. Despite starting the meet with a second-place finish in the 200-yard medley relay, Purdue rallied to take three of the top four spots in the second event, the 1,000-yard freestyle, to move ahead 21-15. Sophomore Erica Chandler took the top spot in the 1,000, with a time of 10:21.13.
Purdue continued to pour it on from that point forward. The Boilermakers won 11 of 12 individual swimming events, with three swimmers collecting two first-place finishes. Freshman Susan Hentschel won the 100-yard freestyle in 51.92, and won the 200-yard freestyle in 1:53.12. Junior Brandy Keever won both the 100-yard backstroke (58.49), and the 200-yard backstroke (2:06.42). Freshman Carlene Takaki won the 100-yard butterfly (58.25), and the 200-yard butterfly (2:07.07).
Other individual winners for Purdue were junior Tracy Duchac in the 50-yard freestyle (23.68); junior Christine Leupold in the 500-yard freestyle (5:04.49); freshman Rory Belk in the 200-yard breastsroke (2:20.85); and senior Jenni Bean in the 200 IM (2:09.28). Belk's time in the 200 breast was a lifetime best.
Bean was one of three seniors to compete in her final home meet Saturday. The others were Lindsay Kirchoff and Autumn Sample. Kirchoff's best finish was third place, in the 100-yard backstroke (1:07.05); Sample's was second place, in the 200-yard butterfly (2:07.90).
Purdue went 1-2-3 in the 100-yard backstroke, 200-yard butterfly, 100-yard freestyle, and 200-yard backstroke.
Michigan State's lone individual win came in the 100-yard breastroke, with Spartan Courtney Ellabarger touching in 1:04.90. Belk finished runner-up, in 1:05.73.
The Spartans, who began the meet with a relay win, closed the swimming events with a 200-yard freestyle relay victory in 1:35.75.
In 1-meter diving, Michigan State's Katelyn Edwards won with 269.17 points. Purdue freshman Amanda Miller placed second, with 264.07 points. In 3-meter diving, Miller and Edwards flip-flopped, with Miller winning (266.77), and Edwards finishing as runner-up (263.24).
"This win means a lot coming off the loss to IU," said head coach Cathy Wright-Eger. "We rebounded very well and we concentrated on our strenghts, which was what I expected to accomplish. Our win gives this team a huge boost of confidence, and the more confidence we gain the fast we become."
The Boilermakers return to action Jan. 30 and 31, when they travel for a quadrangular meet at Wisconsin. Also competing in the meet in Madison will be Illinois and Minnesota.