Badgers Win at Northwestern Triangular
November 17, 2007 | Women's Swimming & Diving
The No. 19 University of Wisconsin women's swimming and diving team earned two wins Saturday at the Northwestern Triangular. The Badgers defeated Notre Dame (218-151) and overcame a one-point deficit after the second session to beat Northwestern (196-173). The Badgers, who are now 5-1 on the season, had led both schools heading into the final day of competition.
Freshman Maggie Meyer continued her excellent season as she was part of two first-place finishes. Swimming with sophomore Rosie Morahan and seniors Katie Imhoff-Smith and Jackie Vavrek, Meyer helped the Badgers claim first in the 200-yard medley relay. The team finished in a time of 1:43.90.
Meyer also recorded a win individually in the 100-yard backstroke. Her time of 56.15 was just .14 off of an NCAA 'B' time. Meyer did however tie her own mark for the best time of the season on the team and the best of her career. The North Oaks, Minn. native later won the 200-yard backstroke (1:59.56), which met the NCAA 'B ' standard time.
Wisconsin's other victory on the day came in the 200-yard freestyle. Junior Jen Illescas notched her second first-place finish of the weekend as she finished with a time of 1:50.06. Her mark was good enough for an NCAA 'B' time. Illescas later won the 200-yard butterfly (1:59.54), which met another NCAA 'B' time.
The Badgers earned second-place finishes in the 400-yard IM, 100-yard butterfly and in the 800-yard freestyle relay.
Sophomore Libby Brooks was the top Wisconsin finisher in the 400-yard IM as she finished in a time of 4:24.35. Brooks' mark was three seconds better than the previous best-time the team had recorded this year.
Imhoff-Smith placed second in the 100-yard butterfly for the Badgers. Her time of 56.28 was .01 seconds better than the previous season-best time, which she also held.
In the 800-yard freestyle relay, Illescas, senior Hannah McClurg, sophomore Gabby Maddalena and Meyer finished in a time of 7:24.18, to take second. The team's finish was four seconds better than the previous season-best time in the event.
Morahan was the top Badger finisher in the 100-yard breaststroke. Her time of 1:05.51 was good for fourth place.
On the diving board, freshman Ciara Rinaudo led Wisconsin. She placed seventh on the 1-meter board, finishing with a score of 234.20.
In the first event of the final session of the meet, sophomore Gabby Maddalena won the 1,650-yard freestyle with her time of 16:42.97. McClurg finished third in the 100-yard freestyle (51.30), setting a new season-best time.
Morahan once again was UW's top finisher in the 200-yard breaststroke, as she took second place with a time of 2:19.15.
Wisconsin's `A' team comprised of McClurg, Meyer, Vavrek and Illescas won the final swimming event of the meet, the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:24.76), which set another new season-best time.
The University of Wisconsin women's swimming and diving team returns to action Nov. 29-Dec. 1 as it heads to Austin, Texas for the Texas Invitational.
