The women's swimming and diving team owned third and fourth place against Michigan State Thursday night. Unfortunately, the Spartans owned first and second as they went on to defeat the Cardinals 146-92.
The Cardinals (8-2) were only able to two a events while Michigan State took the other 12 first-place finishes.
"I think this is the best Michigan State team they have ever had," head coach Laura Seibold-Caudill said. "But, even though its hard to tell, I think we really rose to the challenge."
Sophomore Karla Bailey won the only individual event for the team with a 2 minute 26.71-second victory in the 200-yard breaststroke. Senior Kate Willets finished second only .48 seconds behind.
The Cardinals also won the meets final event, the 400-yard freestyle relay, but Michigan State swam its relay teams as exhibition, not wanting to run the score up too much.
But one of the problems the Cardinals have been facing this season is the lack of graduated seniors Erin Hitch, Andrea Russell and Beth Clark, who led the team in scoring a year ago.
"We had 16 freshman last year, and most of us have been swimming for more than 10 years," sophomore Dee Dee Wolverton said. "We were excited last year to have a change of pace. But this year we all feel like we're back in a routine doing the same old thing. But we're getting better."
After two weeks of meets the Seibold-Caudill described as "frustrating," she said she felt the team was on an upscale following the team's performance against the Spartans.
"We really competed hard against a tough opponent," Seibold-Caudill said. "Never did we give up. It was just one of those feeling you could get watching the meet. It really gave me the feelings that we're in it for the long haul."
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