Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Saluki Swim Teams Beat Undefeated Western Kentucky
03/14/2001 | 12:00:00 | Swimming & Diving
January 22, 2001
Carbondale, Ill. -
It was the clash of the top-10 teams and when the dust had settled the Southern Illinois University Carbondale men's and women's swimming and diving teams knocked Western Kentucky from the unbeaten ranks Saturday at the SIU Student Recreation Center Pool.
The No. 3 ranked SIU Salukis beat No. 7 ranked Western Kentucky in men's action, 178-112, and on the women?s side it was unheralded SIU edging No. 4 ranked WKU 156-142. Both the men and women will host its final home meet of the season next Friday when Missouri Valley Conference foe Southwest Missouri State comes to call.
"I'm very pleased with the way they performed today," SIU men's coach Rick Walker said. "All the credit goes to the guys. They chose their direction and took advantage of it. The good thing is that everything is falling into place for a run at the conference. If they are not hitting right on, they are real close to it. That is the right time of the year. Western Kentucky is a good team."
It was total domination for the men as the Salukis won every event, but officially won only 15 of 16 after swimming the final 200 freestyle relay as an exhibition. The team of Chris Papachrysanthou, Jeremiah Cortez, Matt Glowacki and David Parkins actually won the race by a second and a half, but received no points since they were swimming as a exhibition entry.
"This sets us up for Southwest," Walker added. "They are still the team to beat in in the conference and I say just bring them on. Our sprinters did a great job, but a lot of credit goes to our second and third guys like Chris Smith and Edoardo Daelli. Those are the guys who are gong to make a real big difference in whether we win the conference or not."
Dual winners for the Salukis were Papachrysanthou in the 50 and 100 freestyle, Jake Sinclair in the one-meter and three-meter diving, Derek Helvey in the 500 and 1000 freestyle, Corne Prozesky in the 100 and 200 breaststroke, Matt Munz in the 100 and 200 backstroke and Luke Wotruba in the 100 and 200 butterfly. Single winners were Edoardo Daelli in the 200 freestyle and Joe Tidwell in the 200 individual medley. SIU also won the 200 medley relay in addition to finishing first in the 200 free relay.
The men produced 18 new best in-season times with Helvey dropping his best time in the 1000 free by over six seconds and both Papachrysanthou and Wotruba knocking tenths of their best times in the 50 free and 200 butterfly respectively.
The women put on their best performance of the season, but only came away with six individual wins. Freshman Leane Piernaar won both the 500 and 1000 freestyle with Lee Frye doing the same in the 100 and 200 breaststroke. Coming away with single wins were Daniela Muniz in the 200 butterfly and Beth Ann Erickson in the 100 butterfly.
The women are coming together at the right time with the MVC Championships less than a month away. SIU hosts the championships for the seventh consecutive time Feb. 16-18. The Salukis posted 21 in-season best times with Pienaar showing the most improvement shaving almost three seconds off her time in the 500 free and and almost four seconds in the 1000 free.
Newcomer Karina Belache continued to show the potential SIU women's coach Jeff Goelz saw when he signed her at mid-season posting the second best time all season in the 100 butterfly and improving her third best time in the 200 free in only her second meet with the Salukis. In addition, Brooke Radostits posted a new best time in the 200 backstroke while Erickson shaved a few tenths off her top time in the 100 butterfly. Both the 200 freestyle and medley relay teams posted best times for the season.
