Panthers Cruise To Win Over Chicago

400 free relay crew sets new pool record

MILWAUKEE – Arica Smith, Emma Helgeson, Danielle Kudis and Mandie Siehs teamed up to break a pool record to headline at big team win for the Milwaukee women's swimming & diving team over Chicago, 186-105, Saturday afternoon from the Klotsche Natatorium.

The Panthers won all 16 events on the day in their first action early December. That keeps their record perfect at 5-0 on the year.

Milwaukee saved its best for last Saturday with a new Klotsche record in the 400 free relay. Smith, Helgeson, Kudis and Siehs teamed up to touch the wall in 3:30.66 – over 10 seconds ahead of the next foursome. That time also knocked off the previous record of 3:31.17, set by Heidi Niespodzany, Sarah Wardecke, Ellie Gross and Randy Cardinal back on Feb. 6, 2010.

That completed the sweep in the relays as UWM started the meet by taking the top-three times in the 200 medley relay. Sara Bentley, Jenn Kordik, Shelby Rozeboom and Siehs combined for a winning time of 1:45.65 – over a second ahead of the next team.

Siehs also had a pair of individual wins to headline Milwaukee's "Senior Day". In her final home meet, the Menomonee Falls native won back-to-back individual events, starting with the 50 free in 23.65, just ahead of Smith (24.19) and Rozeboom (24.38). Then, just after the diving break, Siehs won the 100 free in 52.11.

Danielle Kudis – who posted the second-fastest time in the 100 free – topped the field in the 200 free in 1:53.34. That time was impressively over two full seconds ahead of the next finisher in the mid-distance event.

Addison Skogman carried the torch for UWM in the distance events on the day. The sophomore touched the wall first in the 1000 free in 10:32.59, with senior Natalie Johnson not far behind in 10:41.22 for second. Skogman also cruised to a win in the 500 free with a winning time of 5:12.62.

Maggie Burns and Natalie O'Connell also won a pair of events on the day. Burns swept both the 100 (58.97) and 200 fly (2:09.45). Meanwhile, O'Connell led UWM to the top three spots in the 100 breast with a winning time of 1:05.34, with Adrienne DiFoggio (1:06.70) second and Kordik (1:08.36) third, before cruising to a win in the 200 breast in 2:23.21 – nearly 10 seconds ahead of second place.

After helping the opening relay to a win, Bentley then went on to win all three of her individual events on the day. The junior started things with a W in the 100 back in 56.31 before completing the backstroke sweep with a time of 2:04.35 in the 200. Finally, she finished her day atop the podium in the unique 100 IM, clocking in at 59.45 to just edge out O'Connell (1:00.70) for the top spot.

Milwaukee's theme of event sweeps carried over to the diving board, where Cassidy Pilo won both events. The sophomore started her day with a win on 3-meter with an overall score of 258.05 before finishing her day with a winning mark of 275.25 on 1-meter – her first NCAA Zone qualifying score of her young career.

The Panthers return to the pool right away next week for the Flames Invite. That meet – held by this year's conference-meet host UIC – starts Friday evening at 5 pm from the Flames Natatorium before wrapping up Saturday.

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