Dec. 13, 2010
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By MICHELE DANNO
IOWA CITY, Iowa — With finals week approaching, students are feeling the tension around campus. For the University of Iowa women’s swimmers and divers, that tension followed them all the way into their locker room Friday night where some raced to finish last-minute assignments before jumping on the blocks against Iowa State.
“It’s always a tough time for the swimmers and divers because we’re coming off a big invite, and they have finals next week” UI head coach Marc Long said. “That’s just part of the game as a college student, but the women really stepped up. They knew it was going to be a challenge, and that Iowa State was going to throw the best at it, and they did. But we raced really well.”
Iowa trounced the Cyclones with a score of 173-108, a marked improvement since falling to Iowa State in Ames last season. Senior Christine Mauro said this victory was especially significant for her fellow seniors after the tough in-state loss last year.
As an Iowa native, captain April Allen agreed, adding that it was the Hawkeyes’ chance to prove themselves at home.
“Last year it was at Iowa State and we didn’t do as well there as we wanted,” Allen said. “So this year, we were really gunning for it. They’re a great team too, so it’s a lot of competition. Just the fact that the rivalry goes way back makes it always a lot of fun.”
Friday night also marked the last meet before the Hawkeyes take a month-long break from competing. The women have a chance to rest and focus on finals before entering what Long has deemed “training mode” until they compete again in January.
He said he and his staff will also use this as an opportunity to analyze lineups and evaluate where the women stand. With a strong freshman presence this year, he will be looking for them to step up over the next month to prepare for their first conference competitions.
Mauro, who said she didn’t personally have the “best meet” Friday, said she realizes how important the next few weeks of tough training are, and she is prepared to work hard for Big Ten season.
“This past week has been really stressful for everyone, and it was hard to be positive but we managed to pull it together and finish on a positive note,” Mauro said of her team. “Winning this made us a stronger team, and now we’re looking forward to the rest of the season.”