Printer-friendly format Email this article Erin Blemberg is one of four seniors who will be competing in their final home meet Friday

Panther Women Close Out Home Schedule Against Phoenix

Team hasn't lost a dual meet in almost three months

Feb. 7, 2006

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's swimming & diving team returns home for the final time this season, playing host to UW-Green Bay on Friday. The Panthers and Phoenix are scheduled to hit the pool at 6 p.m.

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LOOKING AT THE WEEK AHEAD:
After a week off from competition, UWM closes out the home portion of the schedule with a dual meet versus UWGB. The series dates back to 1990 and heavily favors the visitors, as Green Bay currently leads 13-2, although Milwaukee did win just two years ago.

Green Bay dropped a 129-114 decision to Illinois State their last time out, snapping a hot streak. Since the start of January, they were 3-0 in dual meets and also placed second at the Bill Ritter Invitational in Milwaukee Jan. 21. They won 12-of-13 events in beating UIC 149-80 Jan. 14 just a day after earning 15 first-place finishes in defeating Butler. Molly Cox is the reigning Horizon League Swimmer of the Week after four wins versus Western Illinois. She set pool records in the 500 and 1650 freestyle at the Bill Ritter Invitational.

LAST YEAR:
Last year, the Panthers swept the diving events and Lindsay Caldwell won the 50 freestyle, but it was not enough, as UWM fell, 135-106, at UW-Green Bay. Erin Blemberg and Crystal Szymanski went one and two in each diving event, with Blemberg taking top honors in the one-meter event and Szymanski taking first from the three-meter board.

LAST TIME OUT:
The Panthers won 9-of-13 events in defeating Western Illinois, 157-84 Jan. 28. The win was the fourth-straight dual meet victory for the Panthers on the season. Sophomores Heidi Goetsch and junior Crystal Szymanski each won two events to pace UWM. Goetsch won the 100 freestyle in a time of 55.39 and the 200 freestyle in a time of 2:00.25. Szymanski won both diving events for UWM, scoring 264.38 points on the three-meter board and 248.10 on the one-meter board.

THE BEAT GOES ON FOR CALDWELL:
Since taking second in the 200 breaststroke Oct. 21, junior Lindsay Caldwell has not lost an individual event - a streak that has now hit 24-straight races, including preliminaries. She has gone a perfect 9-for-9 in the 50 free and 7-for-7 in the 100 free, and has not lost in nearly 16 weeks. She also currently has the best times in the Horizon League in the 50 free, 100 free, 200 free and 100 breaststroke, and has the third-best time in the league this season in the 200 breast.

A PANTHER "IN THE CROWD":
Caldwell made national news last week as well, appearing in the Jan. 30 issue of Sports Illustrated as one of their "Faces In The Crowd".

SENIOR SALUTE:
Four seniors will be competing in the final home meet of their UWM careers against Green Bay this Friday: Erin Blemberg, Emily Holcomb, Julie Olson and Jessica Thibodo-Johnson.

HORIZON LEAGUE HONORS:
For the 13th time this season, a member of the UWM swimming & diving team has been recognized by the Horizon League. This time, junior Crystal Szymanski was tabbed as League Diver of the Week for her performance against Western Illinois Jan. 28.

ON TAP:
The women make one stop before the Horizon League Championships, heading to the Midwest Invitational Feb. 19-20.