Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Men's Swimming and Diving To Match-up With Evansville
02/04/2004 | 12:00:00 | Swimming & Diving
Feb. 4, 2004
By Josh Magill
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The men's swimming and diving team has one more task prior to the inagural Men's Missouri Valley Invitational (which is not sponsored by the MVC) in two weeks - face Evansville.
The Salukis will host their final regular season meet on Saturday against the Purple Aces, hoping to gain momentum going into championship-style invitational. But head coach Rick Walker says Evansville is not a team to look past.
"They've got some good swimmers and will be a factor," Walker said. "This (weekend) gives us one more chance to see another conference school. Evansville is a vital part of the conference."
Walker also says that the opportunity to compete closer to the championship meet is different from years past and should help SIU.
"In the past, we've usually had two weekends off. That's kind of left us flat on the first day of competition," Walker explained. "Now, we're competing with just have one week off going into the invitational. I think that will leave us sharper. I think it will leave us better."
SIU will square off against Evansville at the Student Rec. Center at 12 p.m. - in a "high noon" affair. The Purple Aces are the third team in four weeks, after defeating Western Kentucky and falling to Southwest Missouri State, that SIU will compete against from the five schools competing in the championship invitational. Walker says that facing those squads so close to the end of the season keeps the excitement building.
"It prove to us that Western Kentucky is beatable. It keeps the fire going with Southwest Missouri and kind of gives us a diversion and a way to tune up with Evansville," Walker said. "That is certainly going to be our approach to it."
Results of this weekend's meet against Evansville can be found at www.SIUSalukis.com. Entry to the meet is free.
