Maxwell is one of the nation's top breaststrokers this season.

Irish Fall To Wisconsin and Northwestern

Nov. 17, 2007

Complete Results

EVANSTON, Ill. – After the final session of competition, the Irish fell to Northwestern, 208-162, and 16th-ranked Wisconsin, 218-151, at Norris Pool in Evanston, Ill. The Notre Dame women’s swimming and diving team now sits with a season dual-meet record of 1-5. This was the first meeting between the Irish and the Badgers, while it was the eighth meeting for Notre Dame with the Wildcats. The all-time record against Northwestern is now 3-5. This was head coach Carrie Nixon’s first meeting with the two teams.

In the final races for the day, the Irish continued to show improvement in the pool. In the first event during the evening session, the 1,650 freestyle, Lexie Shue and Lauren Sylvester finished two-three, respectively. This was the first time the Irish have swam the 1,650 free this season. Shue finished with a time of 16:47.67 while Sylvester finished with a time of 16:51.76. The time for Shue smashed her previous personal best of 16:55.42, set last season.

Lauren Parisi, finished third in the 200 backstroke, but the impressive part was her time of 2:01.15. The time is the not only a season best for the freshman, but also a season best for the Irish. Another season best was set by Christa Riggins in the 100 free when she clocked in at 51.15. The second-place finish in the event bested her previous time of 51.23.

Freshman Sam Maxwell brought excitement to the pool for the Irish again, taking the title in the 100 breaststroke. Her time of 2:15.65 was not only good enough for the win, but was also a season best for Maxwell as well as the Irish.

“We got in a big hole yesterday and the girls worked really hard to bring it home tonight,” Nixon said. “Our girls swam some really great races tonight, despite having a slow start to the whole meet. Wisconsin is a really tough team so we were up against tough competition.

“We’ve had a lot of meets in a row here so having next week off will be great. The girls are a little beat down and each meet we’ve had this fall has been really tough so week after week they’re swimming as hard as they can. That’s tough and hopefully this next week we can get some rest.”

After the second session of competition this morning, the Notre Dame women’s swimming and diving team continued to trail No. 16 Wisconsin, 151-107, and Northwestern, 151-107.

Maxwell led the Irish during the morning competition, taking the title in the 100 breaststroke. Maxwell finished with a time of 1:03.31, a season record for her, as well as a team best. She was followed by freshman teammate Amywren Miller who finished third with a time of 1:05.46, the second best time for the Irish this season.

The Notre Dame diving continued a strong run with sophomore Natalie Stitt taking second in the 1-meter diving with a score of 275.55, just missing the first-place spot earned by Leanne Dumais of Northwestern who finished with a score of 278.80. Two additional Notre Dame divers finished in the top five, with Heidi Grossman taking third and Laura Rings in fifth.

Other top finishes for Notre Dame was Riggins in the 200 free. She touched the pads with a time of 1:50.62, with the top finisher, Jen Illescas of Wisconsin, clocking in at 1:50.06.

–ND–