Oct. 21, 2005

Complete Results

MILWAUKEE - Junior Lindsay Caldwell earned a first and second-place finish and freshman Molly Finn lowered her own freshman record in the 200 IM to lead the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's swimming and diving team on Thursday night against Northwestern. The Panthers fell 158-81 in their home opener as they battled their third-straight Big Ten opponent to start the season.

"We had some outstanding swims on both sides," Milwaukee head coach Dave Clark said. "Northwestern is a good team that will qualify swimmers for the NCAA Championships and we raced them very well."

Caldwell placed first in the 50 freestyle, touching the wall in 24.60 to edge Northwestern's Michelle Oeser by 0.17. She then placed second in the 200 breast with a time of 2:25.14.

Caldwell also teamed with senior Julie Olson, sophomore Heidi Goetsch and Finn to help Milwaukee's 400 medley relay team finish second in a time of 4:01.70.

Finn continues her solid start to her freshman campaign. Eight days after breaking the UWM freshman record in the 200 IM with a time of 2:11.63 at the Madison Invitational, she lowered that mark again tonight with a time of 2:11.32 in placing third.

Freshmen Kelsey McDonough and Kristina Hansen both had second-place finishes for the Panthers. McDonough's came in the 1000 free with a time of 11:13.34, while Hansen's was in the 200 back with a time of 2:12.63. Junior Heather Sawatzki narrowly missed a win in the 200 butterfly, touching the wall in 2:13.25 to place third, just over a second behind the winning time of 2:12.16.

"At this point in the season, I am very happy with what we have accomplished," Clark said. "We have had some good practices and the team has responded and come together well."

In the diving portion of the meet, senior Erin Blemberg placed third on the one-meter board with 229.95 points and fourth in the three-meter event. Junior Emily Duesler was UWM's top finisher in the three-meter event, taking third with 234.45 points. Junior Crystal Szymanski placed fourth in the one-meter and fifth in the three-meter.

The Panthers continue a busy weekend on Sunday, with the swimmers competing at the Northwestern Relays and the divers at the UIC Diving Invitational.