UWM Women Back In Pool At Wheaton Friday

Sophomore Kerry Rossow

Team back at it after two-week break

Oct. 30, 2007

This Week In Milwaukee Women's Swimming & Diving

Friday, Nov. 2 • at Wheaton College
Hosted by Wheaton College • Chrouser Pool • Wheaton, Ill. • 5 p.m.

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's swimming & diving team opens November with another road trip, heading to Illinois Friday to take on Wheaton College. The Panthers and Thunder hit the pool at 5 p.m.

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SCOUTING THE MEET:
Although the Panthers are 13-3 all-time against the Thunder, the NCAA Division III program is a powerhouse in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. A year ago, Wheaton won its 10th-straight league title (and 15th overall) before going on to place 11th at the NCAA National Championships for the second-straight season. Wheaton returns All-American swimmers Katherine Burt, Ashley Matthiesen and Kaitlin Marko.

LAST TIME IN THE POOL:
The Panthers had quite a road trip, competing in three states (Ohio, Michigan and Illinois) in three days last weekend.

Against Wright State, junior Ashley Hall took first place in both diving events and junior Molly Finn won the 200 butterfly, highlighting the efforts of the team. The Raiders won the remaining events in the meet, topping the Panthers, 144-95.

Finn recorded the victory in the 200 fly, finishing in 2:08.13 to take first by almost four seconds. She also placed second in the 200 IM, touching the wall in 2:12.75.

On Saturday, Finn and freshman Kelsey Ogle led the way against Eastern Michigan. The Eagles, two-time defending champs of the MAC, won each of the swimming events on the day to drop the Panthers, 147-88. Finn earned a second-place showing in the 200 butterfly, where her time of 2:09.24 was touched out of a victory by less than half a second. Ogle paced the squad in the distance events, taking second in the 500 freestyle in a time of 5:17.60. She was also third in the 200 free in a time of 1:59.12.

The team placed fourth at the UIC Diving Invitational, snapping its two-year reign as champs at the meet. Milwaukee left the upperclassmen at home and made the trip with its freshmen divers.

LAST YEAR:
Milwaukee won 10 of eleven events against Wheaton College last year in recording a 140-62 victory. The Panthers posted the top three finishers in the 200 freestyle, 200 IM and 200 breaststroke to help them improve to 13-3 all-time against the Thunder.

It was a team effort by the Panthers, finishing 1-2-3 in three different events. Molly Finn led the way in the 200 IM with a victorious time of 2:12.82. Right behind her was Bailey Nennig (second), followed by Shannon Berndt (third). In the 200 freestyle, it was Jess Kelly first in 1:58.55, followed by Kristina Hansen and Jenny Westfall. Lastly, in the 200 breaststroke, Berndt was the winner in a time 2:27.16, with Nennig second and Kerry Rossow third.

UP NEXT:
Milwaukee stays on the road once again, heading to Chicago, Ill., Nov. 10 for a triple dual against host UIC, Butler and North Dakota.