IU pulls off upset in major midwest rivalry

It was a top-10 showdown in Knoxville this weekend, where two powerhouses brought their expectations and intensity to the meet. But it was the No. 8 Hoosiers who pulled away with the upset, beating the No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers, 166-134. \n“It was the best competition we’ve had thus far,” said IU coach Ray Looze. “But the good news is there’s still room for improvement. We’ve still got a few guys we want to get locked in.”\nSenior swimmers Ben Hesen and Todd Patrick continued their dominance this season, posting three individual wins, including the 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke. \n“We kicked ass,” Hesen said. “I’m real glad because we came together in a way we haven’t shown all year, and two meets before Big Ten’s, it’s exactly what we needed.”\nSenior swimmer Ronald Hehn agreed and said it felt like the team cheered every stroke, which made it feel more like a conference meet.\n“(The meet) was great,” Hehn said. “It felt like it was the first meet where we finally came together and wanted to race harder than the other team.”\nDespite an intense atmosphere, including an entrance by the Tennessee team through a cloud of dry ice smoke, Looze credited his team for keeping their composure and overcoming a few tough losses in the beginning. Patrick agreed with his coach, and said the rivalry that has developed between the two schools makes for a good atmosphere.\n“Anytime you can go into Knoxville and come out with a win is a good accomplishment,” Patrick said. “They take the dual-meet season really seriously and they got a lot of tradition there, so to come out with a win on that point margin is really good for us.”\nThe diving squad also continued its domination, including another first-place finish by freshman Landon Marzullo. Senior Taylor Roberts took second, while senior David Legler took sixth.