The Fighting Illini were back in action for the annual Splash Bash on Friday, Oct. 30, evening. Illinois welcomed in-state, and Big Ten, rival, Northwestern to the ARC Pool to mark the Orange and Blue’s final home meet of the season. The Wildcats came away with a 173-127 win over the host Illini, moving Illinois to a 4-1 record on the dual season.
“From the very first race you could tell it was going to be a close meet all the way through,” said head coach Sue Novitsky. “In the first race we fought our way back into it and just got touched out at the end. Both teams were under the pool record, so that set up what was going to happen for the rest of the meet and it just came down to execution.”
The Illini began the meet with an impressive showing in the 400 medley relay. The quartet of Sloane McDermott, Samantha Stratford, Lori Lynn and Megan Vuong came up just short of a first place finish and a pool record.
After earning the Co-Big Ten Swimmer of the Week award following last weekend’s action, sophomore Stratford continued her success at the Splash Bash. Stratford won all three of her individual events, including the 200 free (1:50.97), 200 breast (2:19.78) and the 400 IM (4:24.48). On the season, the sophomore has collected first place finishes in each of the 10 individual events in which she has competed.
“She comes in and goes about her business, putting together some really strong practices,” Novitsky said of Stratford. “Sam’s gotten a lot stronger in the weight room and she’s in good shape. She’s got that confidence along with that year of experience under her belt now.”
Other first place finishers included Gabbie Stecker in the 500 free with a time of 4:57.32 and Lori Lynn in the 100 fly with a time of :55.46. The Illini relay team of Vuong, Audrey Rodawig, Gabrielle Bethke and Stecker capped the evening off with a pool record (3:27.07) in the 400 free relay.
On the boards, Olivia Kassouni led Illinois in both events. Kassouni picked up two points for the Orange and Blue with a score of 242.62 in the one-meter dive in addition to a second place finish in the three-meter dive with a mark of 271.72.
“We have a quick turnaround,” said Novitsky. “We set this up on purpose; to get the team to come back and get the practice of swimming at night, calming ourselves down and get back ready to go in the morning, just like we will be doing at Big Tens and our invites.”
The Illini will have little time to rest as they travel to Carbondale to take on Southern Illinois and Illinois State tomorrow at noon.
