Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
M - Notre Dame
Spartans Nearly Knock Off No. 18 Notre Dame
11/11/2005 12:00:00 AM | Swimming and Diving
Nov. 11, 2005
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State men's swimming and diving team gave No. 18 Notre Dame all it could handle Friday night in East Lansing. In an impressive battle, the Spartans took it down to the final heat, but were utimately edged by the Irish 122.5-120.5.
"Obviously I am happy because we swam well," stated head coach Matt Gianiodis. "The tough part is there were a couple of events that could have gone either way."
The Green and White got off to a fast start with its 400 medley relay taking first and third. Seniors Rudy Wagenaar, Ian Clutten and Nick Harley teamed up with sophomore Matt McNichols to win the event in a time of 3:23.20. MSU's second team of senior Johan Sunryd, classmate Marcus Poteete, sophomore Bryant Steele and freshman Jonathon Lessard hit the wall for third at 3:31.00, opening with a 13-4 State advantage.
The rest of the meet would go back and forth between MSU and Notre Dame, with the two schools within in points of each other and the score tied three times on the night. With just three events to go, State was up 94.5-93.5, but the Irish would get a strong showing in the 500 free, resulting in a 13 point swing.
The Spartans made up lost ground in the next event, as Clutten took first in the 200 breaststroke (2:04.11) and Poteete took fifth (2:12.96), to bring MSU within 11 (107.5-118.5). To pull off the upset, however, it would take a one-two finish in the last event, the 400 free relay.
MSU took first with the team of sophomore Adam Schmitt and seniors Matt Wiseniewski, David Habel and David Lessard, in 3:04.5, but in a close race to second, the Irish slipped by the Green and White's second team, edging the Spartans 122.5-120.5
"The mistake was really mine and my staff's, we tried to split up the teams to pull out the last relay," Gianiodis commented. "I wish we could have squeezed out a few more points, but I don't think we split the relay like we should have."
"They (Notre Dame) are the Big East champion and they just came off a meet last weekend against Pittsburgh where they won by a point," Gianiodis added. "They really came through in the 500 (free) when they needed to, but I am really proud of our guys."
In total, the Spartans had seven first place finishes. Schmitt took the 200 free with a time of 1:40.61, while McNichols took second, touching at 1:43.17. Schmitt also won the 100 free, finishing in 45.42 and Clutten picked up his second first place finish in the 200 IM, with a time of 1:53.60.
Other victories for State were Wagenaar in the 200 backstroke (1:51.36), while Wisenieswki and Notre Dame's Louis Cadadini tied for the top time in the 50 free, both touching at 21.18. Wisenieswki picked up a second place finish behind Schmitt in the 100 free, with a finish of 46.77.
The Spartans return to action next Friday, Nov. 18, when they travel to Ann Arbor to face rival Michigan at 6 p.m.
