Jan. 17, 2004
Ann Arbor, Mich. – Notre Dame won six events, including three by senior Marie Labosky, as the Irish rallied to beat Illinois, 197-173, in dual-meet action at the Michigan Invitational at Canham Natatorium in Ann Arbor, Mich. Notre Dame did not keep score against Michigan as the two are scheduled to face off in a dual meet on Saturday, Jan. 31, at the Rolfs Aquatic Center.
Labosky, who was Notre Dame’s only winner during Friday’s session, added the 400 individual medley and the 200 backstroke to the 200 IM she won on Friday. In the 400 IM, Labosky recorded an NCAA “B” qualifying time of 4:50.11, over four seconds ahead of freshman teammate Katie Carroll , who was second in 4:54.80. Junior Kelli Barton placed sixth in 5:06.75, while freshman Kiley Gooch was seventh in 5:07.60.
In the 200 backstroke, Labosky once again dominated with a time of 2:16.08. Her time was over three seconds faster than runner up Sara Johnson of Michigan who touched in at 2:19.66. Irish freshman Rebecca Grove was third in the race, while juniors Kristen Peterson and Sarah Alwen were fifth and sixth, respectively, in times of 2:20.82 and 2:22.35.
Labosky also swam the leadoff leg of the winning 800 freestyle relay. Labosky joined forces with freshmen Ann Barton, Ellen Johnson and Carroll in taking first in 8:20.92. Notre Dame’s “B” team of senior Lisa Garcia, Alwen, Grove and freshman Meghan Linnelli was fourth in 8:38.67.
Carroll was victorious in the 100 freestyle for the Irish in a time of 57.07, a provisional qualifying time for the NCAA meet in March. Senior Danielle Hulick was fifth in the event at 58.32, while Johnson placed sixth in 58.83.
Senior diver Meghan Perry-Eaton, who suffered her first defeat of the season on Friday in the one-meter event, came back strong in setting a Notre Dame record in winning the three-meter board with 335.85 points. Perry-Eaton broke her own record of 333.82 set at the same meet last season. Teammates Samantha Raneri (203.70) and Casey Pepak (182.32) were 11th and 12th, respectively.
Garcia finished the winning ways for the Irish with a victory in the 200 butterfly. The senior touched in a time of 2:18.08, just ahead of Ann Barton (2:19.53). Sophomore Christel Bouvron was fourth in 2:22.17, while senior Lisa D’Olier was eighth in 2:25.03.
Bouvron also placed second in the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:03.83, while Garcia was fourth in 1:05.54. D’Olier was seventh in 1:06.46, while sophomore Annie Mantey was ninth in 1:07.28.
In the 200 freestyle, Johnson was Notre Dame’s top finisher in 2:06.74. good for sixth place. Ann Barton was seventh in 2:07.04, while Alwen finished eighth in 2:09.31. Michigan’s Susan Gilliam was first in a “B” qualifying time at 2:03.42.
Notre Dame took five of the top nine places in the 100 breaststroke. Freshman Jessica Stephens placed fourth with a time of 1:15.43. The Irish also took places sixth through ninth as junior Georgia Healey was sixth in 1:16.69, while senior Laurie Musgrave was seventh in 1:16.85. Freshman Annie Sweeney was eighth in 1:16.85, followed by Mantey in 1:18.99.
Hulick placed second in the 100 back with a time of 1:04.03, as the Irish took second, fourth, fifth and seventh. Grove was fourth in 1:06.22, followed by Peterson at 1:06.85. Gooch was seventh in 1:08.60.
In the 1,650 freestyle, Kelli Barton was Notre Dame’s top scorer with a fourth-place finish in 17:20.29. Freshman Abby Strang was sixth in 17:37.59. Barton also was fourth in the 200 breaststroke in 2:39.27, while Stephens was fifth in 2:40.87.
In the final event of the evening, Notre Dame was fourth in the 400 free relay as the team of Johnson, Hulick, Linnelli and Eckholt finished in 3:59.64. The “B” team of Ann Barton, Alwen, freshmen Grace Galagan and Krissy Archer was sixth in 4:02.78.
The Irish swimming and diving team is off until January 30, when it travels to East Lansing, Mich., for a double-dual meet against Michigan State and Ohio State. The Irish then host Michigan the following day.