Mens, womens swimming each defeat Northwestern on the road

The IU men’s and women’s swimming teams knew they would be in for a real test with a trip to Northwestern on Friday. They passed that test with flying colors en route to impressive victories.\n“We were very dominant,” said head coach Ray Looze.\nThe No. 8 men got off to a fast start and finished well for a final score of 167-127 over No. 18 Northwestern. \nThe Hoosiers talked all week about getting off to a fast start, so a five-second victory in the 400-yard medley relay to kick things off was key. The senior trio of Pat Penoyar, Todd Patrick and Ben Hesen teamed with junior Matt Lenton for the win. \nIU followed that with a fantastic performance in the 1,000-yard freestyle. Senior John Kevin Koehler won the event, and juniors Steffan Troxel and Steven Murry finished in second and third, respectively. \n“We were very consistent,” Looze said. “We won the relay and went on from there.”\nHesen continued his winning ways by taking home victories in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke events and the 100-yard butterfly. Penoyar also kept winning after the medley victory, taking first in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke events. Patrick was also victorious in three other events.\nThe Hoosiers also enjoyed an impressive performance from their divers. Freshman Landon Marzullo swept the 1- and 3-meter events. \nMeanwhile, the women rebounded in a big way after a disappointing season-opening loss to Missouri. Victories in 11 events helped pave the way for a crucial 163.5-136.5 win. \nThe loss against Missouri was upsetting,” said sophomore Brittany Feldman, “but we have to realize that we are a part of a program that is training for the end of the season.”\nSophomore Presley Bard and junior Sarah Stockwell played big roles for the Hoosiers, as both were crucial to victory in the 400-yard medley. But they didn’t stop there. Bard, who didn’t swim against Missouri, got her season started right with wins in two individual events, the 100- and 200-yard backstroke. Stockwell also notched two more individual victories, the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke. \nFreshman Amanda Smith showed fans that the future is bright for IU, as she won her first two NCAA events this weekend, the 500- and 1,000-yard freestyle.\nThe diving performance was also filled with positives, as Feldman won the 1- and 3-meter competitions.\n“I thought I performed well,” Feldman said, “I stayed consistent and was able to transfer a lot of my practice into the competition.” \nBoth wins were impressive for IU, but Looze was especially happy with his team’s performance considering it came under intense scrutiny. Swimming World Magazine selected the dual meet as its meet of the week, and facing a road crowd was no easy task either. \n“That’s what we live for,” Looze said. “If there’s one thing that energizes our team, it’s a full house, whether it’s totally against us or for us.”\nThe victories might suggest that IU will be a force in the Big Ten this season, but Looze isn’t looking that far ahead.\n“Its still early,” Looze said. “We know that and we’re staying humble and hardworking.”