Jan. 25, 2003

Results

MILWAUKEE - For the second straight day, one specialty turned the tide for the UWM women's swimming and diving team, as the Panthers claimed victory in the seventh annual Bill Ritter Invitational at the Klotsche Center Pool Saturday evening. Milwaukee entered the meet's final event, the 1650 freestyle, trailing UW-Green Bay 846.5-819, but outscored the Phoenix 53-12 in the mile to come away with an 872-858.50 victory.

Illinois State finished third, totaling 682.50 points, followed by Northern Iowa in fourth with 561, UIC in fifth with 473, Butler sixth with 233 points and Marquette in seventh with 35 points.

Much like Friday, when the two diving events carried the Panthers to an early lead, the mile clinched the win for the Panthers. Led by Jen Kedinger's fifth-place finish in the mile in 18:12.92, Milwaukee captured the title with three top-eight finishers. Amanda Schmitt was sixth in 18:19.17, while Jessica Johnson was eighth in 18:36.66.

Earlier in the afternoon, the Panthers got a win from Kedinger in the 200 freestyle and a pair of strong finishes from Emily Holcomb in the 100 butterfly and the 100 backstroke. Kedinger finished the 200 in 1:58.65, while Holcomb was third in the 100 back in 1:01.83 and fourth in the 100 fly in 1:02.02. Kedinger was joined in the 200 by Sarah Valley, who finished fifth in 2:01.11. In the 100 back, Patricia Frank was fourth in 1:02.11, while Natalie Oettinger joined Holcomb in placing in the 100 fly, finishing seventh in 1:03.23.

Also during Saturday's first session, Kristin Cefalu placed in the top eight in a pair of events, finishing eighth in the 400 individual medley in 4:52.29 and sixth in the 100 breaststroke in 1:11.21. Amanda Chan joined Cefalu in the 100 breast, finishing fourth in 1:10.00.

In the morning relays, the 200 medley relay team of Holcomb, Chan, Beth Watt and Nicole Rosinski finished third in 1:53.32, while the B relay team of Frank, Cefalu, Oettinger and Jenny Behr finished seventh in 1:57.03. The 800 freestyle relay team of Holcomb, Johnson, Valley and Kedinger was third in 8:06.81, with the B relay team of Oettinger, Chan, Amanda Honeyager and Schmitt finishing sixth in 8:19.26.

In the evening, Holcomb claimed her first collegiate win in the 200 backstroke in 2:09.86. Frank finished fifth in the event in 2:14.24, while Danielle Bradley was eighth in 2:16.03. Chan picked up a second-place finish in the 200 breaststroke in 2:25.82, with Rachel Smith finishing eighth in 2:34.46. In the 100 freestyle, Rosinski was second in 55.17, with Watt finishing sixth in 55.97. Kari Kinney was the lone finalist in the 200 butterfly, finishing seventh in 2:17.64. The 400 freestyle relay team of Holcomb, Kedinger, Watt and Rosinski finished second, finishing in 3:43.15, while the B relay team of Behr, Valley, Johnson and Chan was eighth in 3:49.39.

The Panthers return to action on Saturday when they host Western Illinois in a dual meet at noon at the Klotsche Center Pool.