Oct. 31, 2008
AKRON, Ohio - The Ohio swimming and diving team (0-1) fell to Akron (1-0) in their 2008-09 Mid-American Conference and dual meet season opener, 163-136, Friday evening at the University of Akron's Oliver J. Ocasek Natatorium.
"Akron did a great job," Ohio head coach Greg Werner said. "I told the ladies after the meet that none of us like to lose and we didn't want to lose to Akron today, but they did a fantastic job. Akron raced very well today, but they competed even better. I don't think it was so much that we lost the competition, but more that they won it. We have to tip our cap to their accomplishment. They were the better team today."
Freshman Petra Chomicz (King's Lynn, England) paced Ohio with first-place finishes in the 200 breaststroke (2:26.85) and the 400 individual medley (4:35.81), while grabbing third place in the 1000 freestyle (10:23.40). The Bobcats went 1-2 in the 200 breaststroke, as fellow freshman Laura Stasiuk (Kenora, Ontario) finished just behind Chomicz in a time of 2:27.61.
"Petra had a great meet. She swam the 1000 free, which is not her primary event, but she did a fantastic job," Werner said. "I was really happy with that. In the 200 breaststroke, she swam the fastest she's been all year. Her 400 IM was her best all year too. She had a fantastic meet."
Stasiuk earned a first-place finish of her own in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.88), while junior Allison Schaefer (Medina, Ohio) took second in the event in 1:08.12. Other first-place finishes were put in by sophomores Amanda Cecere (Chelmsford, Mass.) and Rachel Heim (San Diego, Calif.), who won the 1000 freestyle (10:22.34) and the 100 butterfly (57.73), respectively.
Ohio's 200 medley relay team of senior Carine Vieira de Souza (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), Schaefer, Heim and junior Chelsey Bower (Bethel Park, Pa.) led off the meet with a victory in a time of 1:48.70, while the 'Cats took second in the 800 freestyle relay.
In diving, junior Lindsay Hamilton (White City, Sask.), who missed much of last year with an injury, took second in both 1-meter and 3-meter diving, with scores of 246.75 and 267.00, respectively. Akron's Katie Carter won both events.
"I know Lindsay wanted to be a little bit better today, but it was her first time back on the board representing the Bobcats in 11 months," Werner said. "Akron's Katie Carter has been at the top before, as she is a NCAA qualifier. Lindsay lost to a very good and decorated diver."
The Bobcats return to the pool tomorrow for a dual meet with the Buffalo Bulls. The meet is set to begin at 1 p.m. at the Bulls' Alumni Arena Natatorium.
"What happens between now and the MAC Championships will determine the best team," Werner said after the loss. "Tomorrow at Buffalo we get to show we're better than we showed today."
