Women looking to improve on No. 13 ranking, 10th place finish

The women's swim team is continuing the wave of success that carried them to 10th place in the NCAA last year by winning the first three meets of their season. On Saturday, the women's swimming and diving team will be looking to notch another victory as they host Northwestern in a dual meet at 1 p.m. at the Counsilman Billingsley Aquatic Complex.\nLast weekend, the No. 13-ranked Hoosiers won two meets, defeating No. 14 Notre Dame and Illinois. The meet against the Irish came down to the final event, in which IU was able to win and swam past the Irish with a combined score of 154-146. \nThe squad was buoyed by both individual and relay team efforts. Highlighting the team's effort were junior Sarah Fiden, who won both the 500 and 1000 meter freestyle, and senior diver Sara Hildebrand, who took home first place in the 1 and 3 meter dives. Fiden's first place finishes in the 500 and 1000 meter freestyle marks the third time this season that she has captured the double win. \nNorthwestern comes into the meet winning their first two competitions by beating Toledo and Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The Hoosiers prove to be a much tougher foe than the previous Wildcat opponents. Last year the two teams tied at 150, and the Hoosiers hold a 9-8-1 all-time record against the Wildcats.\nWhile in most other sports, every game or meet is equally important, that is not the case in swimming and diving. The smaller meets are used to get the athletes in shape for the larger events and Big Ten Championships. \n"The beginning meets are sort of like, get in the pool, get them off," Hildebrand said. "Outcome is not a big deal. We have a big meet coming in January so our focus is on that. The early meets just help us gain confidence all they way up to January"