Printer-friendly format Email this article UWM and UWGB hit the pool at 1 p.m. Saturday

UWM Women Close Out Season With Battle Against Green Bay

Panthers welcome three-time league champs Saturday at 1 p.m.

Jan. 28, 2008

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's swimming & diving team concludes the regular season by hosting UW-Green Bay this weekend. The Phoenix, three-time defending Horizon League champions after holding off the Panthers in the final event last season, come to Milwaukee Saturday. Action gets underway at 1 p.m. at the Klotsche Natatorium.

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SCOUTING THE MEET:
The Panthers trail in the series, 14-3, including the past three duals. That streak got extended in a nail-biter last season, with Green Bay holding on for a 122-121 home victory.

UWGB has been swimming very well, improving to 10-3 in duals on the season (after an 0-3 start) with a 10-dual win streak. Two of those W's came last weekend, as the Phoenix defeated Western Illinois, 164-79, on Friday and then knocked off Illinois State, 166.5-133.5, Saturday. Danielle DeGrand, last year's swimming & diving athlete of the year, continues to be a force, winning three times against Illinois State. Other key members include Ashley Warzon (butterfly), Shannon Demrow (distance) and divers Lauren McGraw and Kari Helland.

SENIOR SALUTE:
Saturday's meet marks the final home competition for the four seniors on the UW-Milwaukee roster. Congratulations and best wishes to Briana Fergusson, Heidi Goetsch, Jess Kelly and Megan McLoone.

LAST TIME IN THE POOL:
Junior Molly Finn and freshman Lauren Roy each won two events to lead a balanced team effort on Saturday. The Panthers extended their dual win streak over Western Illinois to six with a 149-83 victory in their first action in seven weeks. Milwaukee won 11 events overall, with five other swimmers winning individual events and both relay teams posting victories.

Finn won the 200 IM in a time of 2:12.53 and also posted a victory in the 200 butterfly, touching the wall in a time of 2:10.00.

Roy recorded the first two victories of her collegiate career, winning both boards with totals of 211.65 points in the one-meter event and 240.45 in the three-meter.

Adding to the list of winners was senior Jess Kelly, sophomores Kerry Rossow and Jenny Westfall and freshmen Ellie Gross and Danielle Wenger.

LAST YEAR:
Milwaukee battled UW-Green Bay down to the wire Feb. 3, falling to the two-time defending Horizon League champs by a single point, 122-121. Both teams had not lost since their season openers and brought long dual win streaks into the meet. Milwaukee (6-3) saw its streak get snapped at six, while the Phoenix (13-1) improved its to 13.

Emily Duesler and Lindsay Caldwell each won twice, while Molly Finn and Shannon Berndt also had individual wins for the Panthers. Additionally, the 400 medley relay team opened the meet with a winning pool-record performance.

Duesler claimed victories on both boards, winning the one-meter competition with 245.85 points and the three with a career-best and NCAA Zone qualifying 294.85 points. Crystal Szymanski placed second in the three-meter event to give UWM the top two.

Caldwell extended her personal win streak in the 100 freestyle to nine-straight, winning in a time of 52.16. She added a win in the 200 as well, touching the wall in 1:54.34. Jess Kelly was right behind, placing third in 54.15. Caldwell was the anchor on that record-breaking relay squad, teaming with Kristina Hansen, Berndt and Finn in a season-best 3:55.21 to break the Dorschel Natatorium mark.

Finn won the 200 butterfly in a time of 2:09.14, with Briana Fergusson giving UWM the top two in 2:13.76. Finn also took second in the 200 IM, touching the wall in 2:11.30. Berndt was just behind in third in 2:11.84. Berndt won her specialty once again, topping the field in the 200 breaststroke in a time of 2:24.77.

LEADING THE WAY:
With the Horizon League Championships right around the corner, it's time to take a look at who is leading the way for the women's team. Junior Molly Finn has been very consistent, recording 12 wins, six second-place showings and three thirds on the season. She has the best time in the Horizon League in the 200 butterfly as well as the third-best in the 100 fly. Sophomore Kerry Rossow has been very efficient, winning nine times and taking second three others in just 14 races this season. She holds the top time in the Horizon League in the 100 breaststroke and the third-fastest showing in the 200 breast. Junior Kristina Hansen has three wins in the backstroke events while finishing out of the top three in her specialty just once all season. Sophomore Shannon Berndt has chipped in with three wins and five seconds and has the second-best time in the league in the 200 breast and the third-fastest in the 100.

Freshman have played a big role as well, with Danielle Wenger already recording six wins and three seconds in the distance events while holding the top time in the league in the 1,000 free and the second-best in the 1,650 free. Teammates Kelsey Ogle (three wins/three seconds) and Ellie Gross (14 top-fives in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle events) round out the list.

HERE WE GO AGAIN:
After starting last season 0-2 in dual meets, the UWM women won six-straight head-to-head match-ups and ended the season at 6-3 overall in duals. That pattern is being followed again in 2007-08. After starting 0-3 this season, the Panthers have won six-straight to get to 6-3 in duals, while also adding a team championship at the Wheaton Invitational in between.

POLL TIME AGAIN:
The second NCAA Division I mid-major collegeswimming.com poll of the season came out over the break and the Panthers are still in it. After starting the season at No. 8, the team now stands in at No. 24 with 171.16 points. Harvard continues to top the poll with 193.40 points.

QUITE A FIRST IMPRESSION:
After having to sit out last season after transferring, junior Ashley Hall continues to make a great first impression on the UWM diving team. Just after the break last month, she was recognized inside and outside of the classroom, tabbed for Horizon League Female Diver of the Week and as the U.S. Army Female Scholar-Athlete of the Week Dec. 11. She actually earned both honors in back-to-back weeks and has now been the league diver of the week four times this season. She has recorded 12 victories in 16 attempts overall this year - including seven-consecutive wins on the three-meter board - and has already qualified for NCAA Zones on both boards.

UP NEXT:
Milwaukee will look to snap Green Bay's three-year hold on the league title at the Horizon League Championships starting February 20. The Panthers were in it last year until the final event and will head to Cleveland, Ohio, with their sights set on a first title since 2001.