Men's & Women's Swimming & Diving Teams Lose Close Dual Meets To SMS
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Jan. 25, 2003
Carbondale, Ill. - The Southern Illinois University men's and women swimming and diving teams battled down to the final event before losing their final dual meets of the season to MVC rival SMS on Saturday, January 25 at the SIU Rec Center Pool.
The SIU women (2-6) lost by six points (124.50-118.50) after SMS (5-4) finished first and second in the 400 free relay to surpass the Salukis.
"I was really excited about the way we swam today. We moved people around and put kids in spots where we wouldn't score the most points, but we sacrificed winning this dual meet to get ready for the conference meet. There is nothing to motivate the team like a six point loss. They'll be ready for the MVC meet. I'm really happy despite losing the meet," said Goelz, SIU women's coach.
Suzanne Souders won the 200 back (2:05.63) and the 200 IM (2:09.88). Brigitta Olson won the 200 fly in a season-best 2:07.18. Melinda Page (100 free), Ashley MacCurdy (500 free), Elizabeth McGowan (1000 free) and Andrea Johnson (3-Meter Dive) also picked up wins for the Salukis.
The Saluki (3-4) men lost by nine points (126-117) after SMS (5-3) won the 400 relay to end the meet.
"I'm extremely excited that we took the meet to the final event. We weren't supposed to win and forced them to win the relay to win the meet. We just didn't have enough to finish and they had to swim their best relay of the year to win. They are the favorite for the conference meet but this will help us prepare to win the conference meet," said Rick Walker, SIU's men's coach.
SIU collected wins and career-high marks from Marcelo Possato in the 200 back (1:49.50), Adam Gangl in the 200 IM (1:53.36) and Derek Helvey in the 200 free (1:40.13). Carterville freshman Jason Sigler swam a career-best 9:28.53 in a second place finish in the 1000 free.
The SIU men and women will host the Missouri Valley Championships on February 20-22 at the SIU Rec Center Pool looking to claim their seventh and eighth titles in the last nine years respectively.