Ball State University
Toledo
Women?s Swimming & Diving Falls To Toledo 155-143
October 31, 2009 | Women's Swimming and Diving
MUNCIE, Ind. - - Despite a strong all around performance, the Ball State women's swimming and diving team suffered a 155-143 setback to Toledo Friday evening at the Lewellen Aquatic Center.
"Overall, I thought we turned in a strong team performance tonight," said Ball State head coach Laura Seibold-Caudill. "We were able to overachieve my expectations coming into this meet. Toledo is a talented team with a lot of depth and we were within striking distance the entire night. The biggest positive coming out of the meet is that we were able to come together as a team."
Facing one of the top teams in the conference, the Cardinals were able to come away with seven of 16 event victories, including sweeping the diving events.
Sophomore Sara Hostetler (Vincennes, Ind./Jasper H.S.) was a two-event winner for the Cardinals, taking home top billing in the 200 backstroke (2:08.57) and the 100 butterfly (58.23). She nearly pulled a trifecta, placing second in the 200 butterfly (2:07.99).
Junior Katie Bylsma (Westfield, Ind./Pinckney H.S.) also picked up a pair of event wins for the Cardinals, sweeping the sprint freestyle events with times of 24.64 in the 50 freestyle and 53.90 in the 100 freestyle.
The Cardinals' first event victory of the night came in the 50 freestyle when Bylsma posted a time of 24.64 to top UT's Carly Harter by .05.
Ball State followed with a 1-2-3 finish on the 1-meter diving board with sophomore Christina Riordan (Homewood, Ill./Homewood Flossmoor H.S.), senior Lisa Maertin (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln Way-Central H.S.) and sophomore Whitney Adams (Danville, Ind./Danville H.S.) posting six-dive scores of 240.37, 223.12 and 205.35, respectively.
Bylsma then posted the winning time in the 100 freestyle, while teammates junior Joan Cullen (Des Plaines, Ill./Maine West H.S.) and freshman Jillian Bischoff (Atlanta, Ind./Hamilton Heights H.S.) completed BSU's second-straight top three sweep with times of 54.40 and 54.44.
Hostetler would give the Cardinals their fourth-straight event victory, with her winning effort in the 200 backstroke. Three events later, Hostetler won the 100 fly.
With Maertin's score of 244.72 leading another 1-2-3 finish in diving, the Cardinals entered the final two events trailing 136-126 and within striking distance of the victory.
Unfortunately, Toledo was able to capture the top two spots in the 200 IM to put the score out of reach, despite Ball State's Cullen, Bischoff, sophomore Nicole Saulters (Highland, Ind./Highland H.S.) and Bylsma combining to win the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 3:34.78.
The Ball State women's swimming and diving team has a quick turnaround, as it hosts Bowling Green in a 1 p.m. swim Saturday at the Lewellen Aquatic Center. Admission to the meet is free for all BSU fans.
Players Mentioned
