Ball State's men's swimming and diving team took advantage of early season instability while finishing second in its meet this past weekend at Purdue University. The team looks to Miami next, and its first MAC competition, on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Going into the final event of the meet, the Cardinals had a two-point lead on Purdue.
"Whoever won the last race would win the meet," head coach Bob Thomas said. "Unfortunately not only did we lose the last race, but we also got disqualified so they won [the meet] outright."
Despite the second place finish, the outcome of the first meet will boost the team's confidence as it moves into its MAC schedule.
"It was an overall team victory for us even though we got second because we came so close to upsetting them," Thomas said. "It would have been a major upset at this time of the year."
Purdue received votes for the top 25 in the first week of the season, and coach Thomas said they are one of the top 30 teams in the nation.
The Cardinals turn their eyes to conference rival Miami this Saturday at the Lewellen Aquatic Center. Last season Miami finished second in the MAC championships, Ball State finished sixth.
"That's a lot of ground to make up," coach Thomas said. "They are by far a better team than we are. From the first event we are going to try to upset them, and have a better meet than last week."
If Ball State wants a win this weekend they need to improve in a couple key areas.
"If our guys can swim faster than they did last week that would be the first step in the right direction," coach Thomas said. "Our divers are going to have to do better on the boards."
At this point in the year teams are vulnerable and primed for an upset.
"I think anything is possible," coach Thomas said. "This early in the season a lot of people have been untested. After this weekend things start to settle down. At this point there are a lot of unknowns. You don't know what team is going to show up.
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