Nov. 5, 2011

Results

Chicago, Ill. - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's swimming & diving team split a pair of dual meets Saturday afternoon at the Flames Natatorium in Chicago. Milwaukee knocked off league-foe UIC, 146-96, and fell to a deep Big Ten team in Illinois, 146.5-95.5.

"We did very well today. The kids really came ready to swim," UWM head coach Kyle Clements said. "It was a complete turnaround from last weekend for the women. We needed this win and we got better from day one to day two. We swam well last night but we swam even better today, and going against UIC and Illinois, we showed up ready to swim and that's what I really wanted to see."

Senior Sarah Wardecke and sophomore Emily McClellan each won two events and the Panthers as a team took seven first-place finishes in the 13-event meet.

Wardecke grabbed the top spot in the 50 freestyle with a season-best time of 23.71, edging out second place by 0.06 seconds. The senior then won the 100 freestyle by over a second, posting a time of 52.06.

McClellan continues to inch closer back to her NCAA Championships-form with two convincing wins in the 200 breaststroke (2:18.56) and the 200 IM (2:07.54).

Senior Heidi Niespodzany also took a top spot, finishing the 200 freestyle in a season-best time of 1:52.58.

"Heidi swam amazing for us today," Clements said. "She beat both the top women from UIC and Illinois, as well. Sophia Schmidt won the (200 freestyle) yesterday and then she knocked off a bunch of time today and she's swimming well right now and she scored a lot of points for us."

On the diving end, senior Aubrey Griffiths led the way for Milwaukee, finishing third on the three-meter board with a season-best score of 258.75.

Both relays also took first, with UWM saving the best race for last. The 400 freestyle relay team of freshman Sierra Townsend, sophomore Becky Yokosh, Niespodzany and Wardecke touched out just in front of Illinois' `A' team to give the Panthers the win with a time of 3:30.03.

The Panthers return to the pool next weekend when they head to Stevens Point, Wis. for the annual Border Battle on Friday and Saturday.