The Iowa women’s swimming and diving team will participate in two dual meets with Nebraska and South Dakota State in Lincoln, Neb., that are set to begin at 4 p.m. today.

Iowa goes into Lincoln with a dual-meet record of 2-2 and coming off a loss at home to Minnesota on Nov. 1. Nebraska sits at 0-1-1 after being annihilated on a trip to Arkansas and tying with Iowa State. South Dakota State has compiled a 3-3 record on the season and the team is coming off of a win over South Dakota.

If last year’s meet is any indication — a 191-179 victory by Iowa — today’s meet should be intense to the very end.

“I think it’s going to be a really exciting dual meet,” associate head coach Frannie Malone said. “There’s going to be a lot of close matchups. You can really go down the roster and see that there’s going to be great races throughout the competition.”

The women do not take the meet for granted, and they know what they are in for.

“They’re good,” junior Becky Stoughton said. “Even more, they’re close, competition-wise. To be honest, if anyone’s looking for a meet to go to, this might be the one they should want to go to.”

For the Hawkeyes, this also represents the first road trip since an ugly defeat at the hands of Michigan. This Nebraska trip could be a chance to notch that all-important first road win.

“[Nebraska] is another Big Ten team, and a win there is important for confidence,” Malone said. “It’s going to be exciting to see who can get to the wall — it’s going to be a great road trip, and hopefully, we’ll come out with a win.”

The drive to Lincoln isn’t especially long, and the swimmers are familiar with Devaney Natatorium, the home of the Husker swimming teams.

“Nebraska is an environment we’re used to,” senior Emily Horven said. “We won’t be thrown off by different blocks or wider lanes. We also don’t have to worry about sleeping in a hotel bed, so that’s different but not in a bad way.”

The little things may end up being the difference in a meet that could potentially come down to the wire.