Swimming and Diving Suffer Losses Over the Weekend

It was a rough weekend for Michigan State swimming and diving as the women’s team lost a close meet to Bowling Green Friday night in East Lansing 150-144, and both teams dropped the tri-meet at Eastern Michigan with Buffalo Saturday.

Bowling Green

The Spartan women got off to a good start, winning the first two events of the night. Junior Rebecca Berman won the 1,000-yard freestyle in 10:20.75, while teammate Chelsea Abbot followed closely behind at 10:27.67, getting second.

Bowling Green fought back the next two events winning  the 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke. From there, both teams went back and fourth regaining the lead.

The meet came down to the last event, the 200-yard freestyle relay, with Michigan State leading 140-137. Bowling Green finished first, third and fifth, outscoring Michigan State and won the meet.

“We had issues getting prepared for our second and third swims,” said head coach Matt Gianiodis. ” I don’t think they paid attention to how tight the score was, and that’s on the staff. We just let up.”

Gianiodis said the moment he felt the meet slipping away was the backstroke events.

“We are not strong in those events to start with, but we are not that weak.”

Last season, the Spartans won in a nearly identical meet, 151-143 over the Falcons.

 

Eastern Michigan with Buffalo

After a tough loss the previous night, both men’s and women’s team seemed sluggish dropping both meets to the Eagles and Bulls.

“We just weren’t ready to go and that one you have to put on me,” said Gianiodis. “I thought we fought hard with a lot of heart though.”

Michigan State earned a victory in just one event, with Bryan Williams winning the 100-yard butterfly at 48.86.

Both teams will have opportunities to earn victories next week as the Spartans host Oakland University on January 23 and Denison University January 25 for senior night.


Max King is the host of Pool Time for Impact Sports.

Photo: Max King/Impact Sports