Michigan State University
Valparaiso (m&w)
Spartans Sweep Swimming Dual Meet At Valparaiso
1/11/2008 12:00:00 AM | Swimming and Diving
Jan. 11, 2008
VALPARAISO, Ind. - The Michigan State men's and women's swimming & diving teams swept a dual meet at Valparaiso Friday night, with the men's team winning, 131-71, and the Spartan women taking a 135-82 decision. Sophomore Joe Schmitt won the 200 IM and 100 breast to lead the men, while junior Heather Kiluk and sophomore Laura DeFord each won two events in the women's meet.
The MSU men touched the wall first in each of the 12 events. Schmitt clocked a 1:58.21 in the 200 IM to give the Spartans their fifth win in as many events to put the dual scoring way out of reach. Schmitt later added a winning time of 59.25 in the 100 breast, but MSU had moved its athletes to exhibition scoring by then. Freshman Rickey Forrest and junior Michael VanBeek posted wins in the 1,000 free and the 200 free, respectively, to give MSU a huge lead early. Junior Mark Rogers also added a first-place effort in the 50 free with a time of 21.87.
Sophomores David Garry (327.10) and Ivan Zalessov (298.15) took the top spots in one-meter diving, and sophomore Sho Koba won the 100 fly (51.49). Fellow sophomore Marcus Poteete placed first in the 100 back (53.10) to close out the men's scoring before the Spartans began exhibition scoring the final events of the evening.
"We swam a lot of people in off-events," head coach Matt Gianiodis said. "This team has been through some adversity recently, and I am very proud with the way they responded and performed. Everyone was positive and we achieved what we came here to do tonight."
In the women's portion of the evening, Kiluk placed first in the 100 fly (59.06) and the 200 free (1:54.85) and DeFord added wins in the 200 IM (2:09.88) and the 500 free (5:10.39). The Spartan women were equally as dominant in their meet, winning nine of 12 events. Freshman Jordan Jackson registered a tally of 252.65 en route to winning the one-meter board, her first career victory. Sophomore Erinn Wertz took first in the 100 back (1:01.04) and fellow sophomore Sarah Biasello won the 100 breast (1:06.20). MSU also won both women's relays, with freshmen Stephanie Fisher and Rebecca Ebner competing in each event.
Freshman Alex Crigler enjoyed here best effort as a Spartan, placing first in the 1,000 free and registering a third-place swim in the 500 free (5:25.86).
MSU's weekend in Indiana continues with a dual at Purdue on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Spartans met Purdue in a quad meet at Penn State earlier this season, with the Boilermakers coming out ahead in both the men's and women's competitions.
Players Mentioned
