Ball State University
Ohio
Ohio Edges Out Women?s Swimming & Diving
January 30, 2010 | Women's Swimming and Diving
MUNCIE, Ind. - - In another down to the wire finish, the Ball State women's swimming & diving team suffered a heartbreaking 156-144 setback to Mid-American Conference rival Ohio Saturday afternoon at the Lewellen Aquatic Center. The Cardinals fall to 10-6 (1-5 MAC) with the loss, while the Bobcats improve to 8-2 (4-2 MAC) with the win.
"I am pleased with the quick progress our team is making in what is a rebuilding year," said Ball State head coach Laura Seibold-Caudill. "We have had a lot of strong team performances this season and efforts like today's will help us gain confidence going into next week, as well as the upcoming MAC Championships. We have been in some close meets with several of the top teams in the league, and while it's disappointing we have not won, it shows we are capable of competing with the best."
Ball State entered the final two events of Saturday's meet with a slim 134-130 advantage after senior Lisa Maertin (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln Way-Central H.S.) completed a sweep of the diving events with a victory on the three-meter board. Unfortunately, the Bobcats, which placed second at last season's MAC Championships, rallied to win the final two events to escape with the 156-144 victory.
Overall, the Cardinals scored first-place efforts in six of the meet's 16 events, with Maertin and sophomore Sara Hostetler (Vincennes, Ind./Jasper H.S.) each claiming a pair of victories. Maertin finished first on the one-meter (255.23) and three-meter (255.98) diving boards, while Hostetler earned wins in the 100 backstroke (1:00.07) and the 200 backstroke (2:07.56).
Also scoring individual event wins for the Cardinals were senior Emily Karwoski (Zionsville, Ind./North Central H.S.) in the 100 breaststroke (1:07.47) and junior Maria Gramelspacher (Jasper, Ind./Jasper H.S.) in the 200 butterfly (2:07.77).
Ohio opened the meet with first-place swims in the first three scored events, before Hostetler took the top spot in the 100 breaststroke. Karwoski followed with her win in the 100 breaststroke, while Gramelspacher led a 1-2-3 finish in the 200 butterfly.
Joining Gramelspacher with the sweep in the 100 butterfly were junior Alanna Bader (Monroe, Wis./Monroe H.S.) and senior Mary Ehresman (Lafayette, Ind./Jefferson H.S.) with times of 2:08.40 and 2:11.38, respectively.
Ohio was poised to gain ground in the 50 free, with Lauren Funk taking the top spot in 24.45, but BSU freshman Mallory Przybylinski (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton H.S.) posted a time of 24.75 to help lead a 2-3-4 finish for the Cardinals and limit the OU gain to one point.
Maertin followed with a victory in the one-meter diving event, while sophomore Christina Riordan (Homewood, Ill./Homewood Flossmoor H.S.) placed second to help the Cardinals open a 20-point lead, at 85-65, halfway through the meet.
Despite a victory by Hostetler in the 200 backstroke, a second-place swim by Karwoski in the 200 breaststroke (2:27.09) and a third-place swim by Sarah Kehe (Westville, Ind./Chesterton H.S.) in the 500 freestyle (5:14.90), the Cardinals found themselves trailing 125-120 entering the final diving break.
While a victory by Maertin and a third-place finish by Riordan (244.80) on the three-meter board gave BSU the advantage back at 134-130, the Bobcats closed the meet with wins in the 400 individual medley and the 400 freestyle relay to escape Muncie with the meet victory.
The Ball State women's swimming & diving team will end the 2009-10 regular season next Saturday, when it hosts Miami in a 4 p.m. senior day swim at the Lewellen Aquatic Center. The meet will be the Cardinals' final tune-up for the 2010 MAC Swimming & Diving Championships with take place Feb. 24-27 at Miami's Nixon Aquatic Center.
Players Mentioned
