Jan. 25, 2014
PDF Results
LINCOLN, Neb. - The Illinois Swimming and Diving team battled from behind, but ultimately failed to mount a comeback against Big Ten foe Nebraska on Saturday morning in Lincoln, Neb. The Illini put together some strong swims in the pool despite their 160-140 loss to the Cornhuskers.
"It was a very close meet today with a lot of tight races," head coach Sue Novitsky said. "We were not the best during the first seven events. We had some good races, but across the board we needed everyone to step up the intensity and be more aggressive."
The Illini started off slow with second-place finishes in four of the first seven events. Courtney Pope led the Illini with the first event victory of the morning in the 200-freestyle with a time of 1:50.99. Alison Meng responded in the next event, the 100-backstroke, with a first-place finish. Her time of 55.02 broke the pool record in Devaney Natatorium.
Despite the first-place finishes, the Illini headed into the first break trailing 77-54.
The Illini fought back after the first break to claim six first-place finishes in the remaining nine events.
"The team responded after the first break and competed with a lot more intensity," Novitsky said. "We started to claim some of those tight races at the wall. I am very proud of the strength of character that the team showed today. It would have been easy to crumble, but they dug deep and we finished strong."
Pope and Meng continued their success in Devaney Natatorium, as Pope claimed the 100-freestyle (51.89) and Meng claimed the 100-butterfly (55.66). The two both individually claimed two event victories while also contributing to a first-place finish in the 400-freestyle.
Other first-place finishers for the Illini included Erica Lynn in first in the 200-breaststroke (2:20.18) and Gabbie Stecker in the 500-freestyle (4:57.28).
The Illini shined in the final two events in hopes of mounting a comeback by sweeping the 200 IM and claiming first in the final event, the 400-freetyle relay, but Illinois failed to earn enough points to pass Nebraska.
Lori Lynn claimed the 200 IM (2:06.50), while the group of Meng, Pope, Jessica Holz and Megan Marchuk took the 400-freestyle relay victory (3:26.63).
In addition to numerous season-best times, the Illini had two swimmers garner career bests in the pool today. Lori Lynn's second plash finish in the 200 fly (2:03.73) and Erica Lynn's 100 free time (26.39) in leading off the 400-freestyle relay were good for career best marks.
On the boards the Cornhuskers swept the Illini in both the one-meter and three-meter dive.
Today's meet marks the last dual meet the Illini will compete in this season. Illinois closed out its grueling nine-day stretch with a 3-4 record over four meets.
"It has been a tough two weeks with a lot of competitions and we have come out a better team and really forged our toughness as a group," Novitsky said. "Now we continue to keep working on details and fine tune things heading into the Big Ten Championships."
NEXT UP
The Illini will have a week off from competition before traveling to Minneapolis, Minn., for the Minnesota Challenge on Feb. 7-8.
