All year long the Northwestern women’s swim team has struggled to establish dominance in the individual sprint events. Last Friday, up against a team whose sprinters are the strength of the squad, the Wildcats came out of their shells and racked up a 136-105 victory over Michigan State.
The win was the first in Big Ten competition this year for the Cats.
NU dominated the individual events, winning nine of 11. Coach Jimmy Tierney had been waiting for a meet in which the sprinters could show their true colors.
After a loss to Tennessee earlier this month that saw several NU sprinters lose, Tierney was sure there would be a change in results as this month progressed.
“I think our sprinters are doing a great job,” the coach said after the Cats’ meet against Tennessee. “I think they’re going to come around without a doubt. I expect in January to see a bit more sharpness and speed.”
Seniors Erica Rose and Katie Simmons made Tierney’s prediction come true, winning their sprint events against the Spartans.
Rose finished first in the 100-yard freestyle and third in the 500 freestyle. Simmons grabbed a victory in the 200 freestyle and finished second in the 100 breaststroke.
Senior Vicky West believes that the Cats have been improving throughout the season in individual events.
“It was a matter of time before the individual events came,” West said. “We have had several victories, but the difference in this meet was that we swept or took the top two in most of the events.”
It wasn’t only seniors who had a major impact on the meet. Junior Christy Olin won the 100 butterfly, sophomore Michelle Oeser grabbed the 100 freestyle title and sophomore Katy Paglini won the 100 backstroke.
Freshman Leanne Dumais swept the diving competition for the Cats, winning both the one- and three-meter events.
West and Erin Swenson also racked up victories in longer-distance individual events. West won the 500-yard freestyle and Swenson grabbed the top time in the 400-yard individual medley. Both events were swept by the Cats.
“At every practice you give it your all it’s not always going to be the greatest practice, but you just have to work even when it burns,” West said. “Everyone is pretty excited.”
