The Iowa men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams traveled to Northwestern this past weekend to compete in the last Big Ten regular-season dual meet of the year. The men came out on top 174.5-125.5, but the women came up short, 190.5-109.5.In its first competition in more than a month, the Iowa men won early and often, picking up 10 victories against the Wildcats.
“It was great to get a Big Ten win on the road and after such a long layoff from meets,” head coach Marc Long said in a release. “We’re anxious to continue our preparation for our championship season and our Notre Dame meet next weekend.”
The Hawkeye men posted victories in both relay events against Northwestern. The team of freshman Kenneth Mende, senior Roman Trussov, sophomore Jerzy Twarowski, and freshman Jack Smith took first in the 200-medley relay in a time of 1:29.65. The quartet of Trussov, freshman Matt Kamin, junior Jackson Halsmer, and Smith placed first in the 400-free relay in 3:01.88.
Mende, Twarowski, and Trussov all had numerous individual wins for the Hawkeyes. Mende owned the backstroke events, picking up wins in the 100 and 200 backstroke as well as a second place finish in the 200-individual medley.
Twarowski was the man in the butterfly against the Wildcats, posting wins in the 100 and 200.
The breaststroke belonged to Trussov, who won both the 100 and 200.
Smith finished the 100 freestyle in first, touching in 45.18, and he placed second in the 50 free in a time of 20.66.
Freshman Will Brenner picked up a victory for the Hawkeyes on the board, winning the 1-meter dive with a score of 356.33.
Sophomore Chris Dawson worked as the distance specialist for the Hawkeyes once again, ahcieving two runner-up finishes in the 500 and 1,000.
After dropping its last two Big Ten dual meets, the win against Northwestern was much needed for Iowa with less than a month remaining until the Big Ten Championships.
The Iowa women did not have so much success, falling to Northwestern in convincing fashion.
“We had some solid individual performances, but overall, it’s a disappointing loss,” Long said. “We need to stay focused and work hard toward the championship season.”
The women started the meet well with a win in the 200-medley relay with the team of senior Allie Orvis, junior Emma Sougstad, freshman Kelly McNamara, and junior Taylor Flummerfelt in a time of 1:42.97.
Sougstad continued her dominant junior campaign with a pair of individual victories in the 100 and 200 breaststroke.
The Iowa women’s one other victory came from McNamara in the 100 butterfly, finishing in a time of 56.02.
The Hawkeyes posted a number of second-place finishes against the Wildcats. Junior Serena Wanasek posted a runner-up finish in the 200 free in 1:52.09, sophomore Tereysa Lehnertz was second in the 200 butterfly in 2:03.93, and senior Olivia Kabacinski placed second in the 50 free in 23.64.
