Feb. 7, 2009
CHICAGO, Ill. - -
Contact: Julie Farr DeLima
The Cleveland State University women's swimming and diving teams (8-9) traveled to UIC to wrap up the dual portion of the 2008-09 schedule. The Vikings came out on the short end of a 152-81 loss but won three events on the day.
"We knew UIC was one of the top teams in the Horizon League and our goal today was to do our best after swimming back-to-back days," head coach Wally Morton said.
The meet got underway with CUS taking second in the 400 medley relay behind the efforts of Maria Culjak, Rachel Arzadon, Whitney Hickey and Kristina Nagy (4:06.46).
Behn picked up the first of her two wins in the 1,000 freestyle (10:29.32) while Kristine Bunker was CSU's top finisher in the 200 freestyle (1:59.41, 2nd) in her best time of the season. In the 50 freestyle event, Vikings swimmers went 3-4-5 in Culjak (25.45), Emily Splain (25.62) and Nagy (25.64).
Hickey led the way for the Vikings in the 200 IM (2:16.41) for a fourth-place finish. Katie Bellew was the Vikings' top placer in the 200 butterfly (2:14.22, 3rd) and Culjak wrapped up second in the 100 freestyle (54.92) in her best time of the season.
Splain picked up third-place in the 200 backstroke (2:15.14) and Behn followed her with a win in the 500 freestyle (5:05.82).
Rachel Arzadon led four Vikings with a second-place finish in the 200 breaststroke (2:33.17). Erin Green (2:34.89) and Bellew (2:38.10) finished in third and fourth, respectively while Brittany McCann's exhibition time of 2:39.09 would have placed her fifth.
In the night's final event, the 400 free relay, CSU picked up a victory behind the efforts of Behn, Splain, Kristine Bunker and Brittany Tweardy (3:39.86). All four swimmers had some of the best efforts of the year in their splits.
In diving, Heather Dietz finished second for CSU with 192.08 points in the 1-meter competition. Liz Victor finished third for the Vikings in the 3-meter event (157.88) with her best score of the season.
The day also included a season-best performance by Diana Mruk in the 200 free (2:08.26).
The Vikings are off until the Horizon League Championships begin on Feb. 25.
