Hoosiers dominate Purdue in televised dual meet

Despite the pressure of competing against an in-state rival and having it broadcast live on the Big Ten Network, the No. 22 IU women’s swimming and diving team came out victorious against the Purdue women at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center on Saturday in West Lafayette.

Boasting victories in 12 of 16 events, the Hoosiers finished the meet 58 points over the Boilermakers with a final score of 179-121.

From opening the meet with a body-length win in the 200 freestyle relay to senior diver Amy Cozad snatching first place on the platform, IU Coach Ray Looze said the women exhibited strong performances.

“The girls were loose and having a good time,” Looze said. “I think that had to do with starting the meet off in a proper frame of mind.”

In the event that set the tone for the rest of the meet, the 1000-yard freestyle, junior Lindsay Vrooman grabbed a first-place finish with a time of 9:58.75. Ten seconds behind her was junior Guinevere Vanden Noort clocking in at 10:08.71 and obtaining third place.

Vrooman also took a victory in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:50.07 with Vanden Noort finishing fourth in 4:58.45.

Sophomore Cynthia Pammett contributed a win in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:48.51.

“Cynthia Pammett was fantastic,” Looze said. “We’ve got a lot of selfless kids.”

Pammett also placed second in the 50-yard freestyle (23.49) and in the 100-yard freestyle (50.48).

In the 100-yard backstroke, the Hoosiers went 1-2-3 as freshman Brooklyn Snodgrass won in 53.73, sophomore Justine Ress placed second (55.63) and sophomore Allie Day finished third (56.16).

Snodgrass went on to place first in the 200-yard backstroke in 1:55.48 as well, as part of a 1-2-3 Hoosier finish. With a time of 2:01.43, Day came in second and Ress took third in 2:02.87.

Not only did Snodgrass dominate the backstroke events, but she also had a victory in the 200-yard individual medley (2:03.50). The Hoosier women swept this event with sophomore Dorina Szekeres second (2:05.32), Day third (2:06.08) and junior Bronwyn Pasloski fourth (2:06.15).

Led by senior Ashley Specht with a first-place finish and a time of 1:01.75 in the 100-yard breaststroke, Pasloski followed in second with a time of 1:02.29. 

The breaststroke duo of Specht and Pasloski prevailed again in the 200-yard breaststroke as Pasloski took first in 2:16.26 and Specht third in 2:17.71.

In IU’s sixth straight win of the day, freshman Haley Lips touched the wall at 2:00.29 in the 200-yard butterfly.

The freshman added another victory to the Hoosier record as she finished the 100-yard butterfly in 55.70.

“The whole meet was wonderful,” Looze said. “All of our girls were either at or under their seasonal best times.”

The Hoosier women will compete against the No. 17 Louisville Cardinals in their final dual meet of the 2012-13 season at 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1, in Louisville, Ky.