Jan. 12, 2013
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Led by a pair of individual victories from Lauren Gustafson, Nika Carlina Petric and Rhiannon Sheets, Purdue women's swimming and diving was victorious in 14 of the 16 events to win a dual meet at Michigan State Saturday afternoon, 165-124.The Boilermakers improved to 5-0 in dual meet action this season.
"It was great getting back in to competition after some really solid winter break training," Purdue head coach John Klinge said. "It was a great opportunity to learn some things we need to do better as the end of the season approaches. It was a solid start to the semester."
Along with sweeping the 50 and 100 freestyle sprints, Gustafson also contributed to each of Purdue's relay wins. Sheets swept the butterfly events and anchored the victorious 400 free relay team. Petric touched first in both the distance freestyle events, winning the 500 and 1000 free.
Diver Casey Matthews won the 1-meter diving competition, an event in which Purdue had the top four finishers, for her first individual victory since January 2010. She had missed each of the last two seasons due to injury.
One of the most exciting finishes of the day came in the 400 IM. Francesca Marr out-touched Megan Gallagher by three tenths of a second in an event that was over four minutes in length. It was one of eight individual events on the day in which the Boilers had at least the top two finishers.
Carly Mercer won the 200 free, finished second to Gustafson in the 100 free and swam the leadoff leg on the victorious 400 free relay. Amy Katz (100 back) and Emily McIlrath (100 breast) each posted an individual victory and teamed up with Kylie Vogel and Gustafson on the victorious 200 medley relay team.
Ellesse Lunde also recorded an individual victory by touching first in the 200 breaststroke.
Led by Sheets, Purdue had the top five finishers in the 100 fly. Mercer led the way, posting her team-leading 10th individual victory of the season, as the Boilers recorded the top four times in the 200 free. Sheets finished as the runner-up to go along with her sweep of the butterfly events.
Purdue returns to action Saturday, Jan. 25 when it hosts rival Indiana at noon. The dual meet at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center will be televised live by the Big Ten Network.
Purdue Winners & Notables
50 Free
Lauren Gustafson, 23.64
100 Free
Lauren Gustafson, 50.88
200 Free
Carly Mercer, 1:51.01
500 Free
Nika Carlina Petric, 4:57.51
1000 Free
Nika Carlina Petric, 10:10.79
100 Back
Amy Katz, 57.43
100 Breast
Emily McIlrath, 1:05.61
200 Breast
Ellesse Lunde, 2:23.32
100 Fly
Rhiannon Sheets, 55.97
200 Fly
Rhiannon Sheets, 2:00.92
400 IM
Francesca Marr, 4:28.58
200 Medley Relay
Katz, McIlrath, Vogel & Gustafson, 1:46.03
400 Free Relay
Mercer, Gustafson, Nichols & Sheets, 3:28.99
1-Meter Diving
Casey Matthews, 280.40