Ohio Swimming and Diving Has Win Streak Halted by RedHawks

The Ohio University swimming and diving team had its six-meet winning streak snapped by rival Miami Saturday afternoon, as the Bobcats dropped a 165.5-132.5 decision at the Nixon Aquatic Center. The RedHawks (9-1, 5-0 Mid-American Conference) won 10 of the 16 events, including both relays, en route to running their dual-meet winning streak to nine, and 10 meets overall.

“Obviously we wanted to win, but we performed very well,” Ohio head coach Greg Werner said. “We weren’t 100 percent perfect, but close to it. It was really more a situation that Miami was a bit better today and earned the win, rather than us losing the meet.”

Ohio (5-3, 2-3 MAC) was led by senior Ashley Marion (London, Ont.), who won the 200 individual medley in an Ohio season-best time of 2:05.43, and had three second-place finishes, including a personal-best and an Ohio season-best time in the 200 freestyle (1:51.14). Junior Chelsey Bower (Bethel Park, Pa.) placed first in the 50 free in a Bobcat season-best 23.70 and second in the 100 free in 51.76.

Junior Lindsay Hamilton (White City, Sask.) was victorious in one-meter diving with a score of 283.88, missing her lifetime-best mark by less than a point. She also took second on the three-meter board with a score of 269.11, missing the top spot by less than four points.

The Bobcats put in the top two times in the 1000 free, as sophomore Stacey Huber (Gainesville, Fla.) touched first in an Ohio season-best 10:12.00, while fellow sophomore Amanda Cecere (Chelmsford, Mass.) was right behind her in 10:18.89. Cecere picked up a win the 200 fly in another Bobcat season-best time of 2:02.77, while Huber earned runner-up in the 500 free (5:01.84).

Sophomore Rachel Heim (San Diego, Calif.) also nabbed a win for Ohio in the 100 fly (55.95), while taking third in the 100 backstroke (57.70) and 100 free in a lifetime-best 51.78.

“We had some people that set lifetime bests today, but even those people have a few things to improve on and that’s nothing different than what we’ve been doing all year,” Werner said. “We all have our list of things to improve upon. We still need to strive to get better and be hungry to get better if we want to come out on top at the MAC Championships in Bowling Green.”

Other personal bests were clocked in by junior Allison Schaefer (Medina, Ohio), who achieved them in the 100 breast (1:05.60, also an Ohio season best) and 200 breast (2:25.86), and freshman Petra Chomicz (King’s Lynn, England), who placed third in both the 200 breast (2:20.99, another Ohio season best) and 200 IM (2:08.60) in setting her best times. A pair of lifetime bests were also set in the 200 fly, as freshman Kristen Witham (Fort Wayne, Ind.) was third in 2:08.03, while junior Caitlin Drozin (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) finished in 2:14.30. Senior Carine Souza (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) also recorded a personal best in the 100 back with a mark of 58.71.

“We understand why Miami is No. 1 in the MAC and the (Mid-Major) poll,” Werner said. “They were impressive, but I was really proud of our ladies for the way they competed. We were down early by 40 points, but we fought to come back. It was a bit closer than the score indicates, but all in all I’m encouraged with where we’re at and that we’re on track to be peaking at the (MAC) Championships. I’m really excited about what I saw today.”

The Bobcats look to get back on track Friday, Jan. 30, as they’ll host a tri-meet with non-conference foes Xavier and Kenyon. The meet begins at 5 p.m. in the Ohio Aquatic Center.