Jan. 22, 2011
WEST LAFAYETE, Ind. - Highlighted by a sweep of the individual freestyle events, 20th-ranked Purdue women's swimming and diving won 11 of the 16 events to post its first dual meet victory against No. 14 Indiana since 2000, 161-139, Saturday afternoon at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center.Ariel Martin and Emily Fogle each won multiple events to lead the way for the Boilers, who improved to 10-0 in dual meet action this season. Martin captured the 50, 100 and 200 free. Fogle swept the 100 and 200 breaststroke and also swam the breast leg on the victorious 200 medley relay team.
Caitlin Hamilton (1,000 free), Allie Smith (100 back) and Lauren Roth (500 free) also posted individual victories. Smith, Lisa Butler and Lauren Nichols teamed up with Fogle on the relay winner.
Purdue entered the day with a 22-16 lead thanks in part to diving victories from Kara Cook (platform) and Erin Mertz (1-meter) Friday evening.
"For the most part, I thought we came out strong and got some momentum going," Purdue head coach John Klinge said. "The divers did a good job and gave us a lead going into the day, which was helpful. I thought our swimmers got excited. This year, we've almost downplayed some of our meets and we really tried to get excited this week. I thought we responded well and swam well. But we have a long way to go. This is just one step in the preparation for the Big Ten [Championships]. So we need to continue to focus on that goal and do things in practice that we need to do make that happen."
"I'm just so glad that we [beat Indiana] with this senior class still here," Roth said. "I wanted so badly to be part of a team that finally beat IU. I'm so glad that I did with this senior class; I love these girls.
"I was really happy with the [500]. I split it the way I wanted to, almost negative split it I think. I was in third place for a really long time and just tried to keep my head in check, then come back and say 'I want to beat IU.'"
Not only did the Boilermakers sweep the individual freestyle events, but also finished one-two in the 50, 100 and 200 sprints. Finishing second to Martin was Nichols in the 50, Butler in the 100 and Roth in the 200.
Purdue established or tied six season-best times on the day. Smith led the way, eclipsing her marks in the 100 (54.65) and 200 backstroke (1:59.60) while helping the 200 medley relay team (1:41.60) also post a new top time. The marks in the 100 back and 200 medley relay improved on NCAA provisional-qualifying times from the first semester.
"To be undefeated in dual meets in our last season here is really, really cool," Smith said. "I just wanted to go out there and see what I could do. Winning as many events as we did and winning this meet, I think it really gives us a lot of momentum going into the championship season."
Martin matched her team-best 100 free time (50.62) from last Saturday's dual meet win at Michigan State and improved on her NCAA provisional time in the 200 free (1:48.12). After the meet, she highlighted her victory in the 200 free as her finest of the day in part because she topped Indiana's Margaux Farrell, the defending Big Ten Conference champion in the event. Farrell finished fourth.
"Today was really a good confidence booster for me," Martin said. "Beating Margaux in the 200 free is automatically a confidence boost. I'm know she's tired, I'm tired. It's just good to go out and win all three events. Especially if you look at where we were as freshmen, we got our butts handed to us [by Indiana]. They didn't even want to be here because we weren't very good. It's just such an awesome feeling."
Fogle won the 100 breast with a time of 1:01.95, improving on her Purdue season-best time by more than a second. The freshman has now posted NCAA provisional-qualifying marks in both the 100 and 200 breast.
Mary-Margaret Lopez finished second in the 100 butterfly (55.45) but was able to improve on her team season-best time.
The Boilermakers return to action next weekend when they host the Big Ten Quad with the Purdue men. Action is slated for Friday evening and Saturday afternoon and will feature teams from Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Purdue Winners & Notable Times
* - New season best time for Purdue
+ - Tied season best time for Purdue
^ - New personal season best time
B - NCAA Provisional Qualifying Time
200 Medley Relay Team (Smith, Fogle, Butler & Nichols), 1:41.60*(B)
1000 Free
Caitlin Hamilton, 9:55.98
200 Free
Ariel Martin, 1:48.12^(B)
100 Back
Allie Smith, 54.65*(B)
100 Breast
Emily Fogle, 1:01.95*(B)
50 Free
Ariel Martin, 23.31
100 Free
Ariel Martin, 50.62+
200 Back
Allie Smith, 1:59.90* -- finished second
200 Breast
Emily Fogle, 2:16.43
500 Free
Lauren Roth, 4:50.48(B)
100 Fly
Mary-Margaret Lopez, 56.04* -- finished second