OXFORD, Ohio - Walking around the Nixon Aquatic center Friday night, one would have thought the Ball State University swimming and diving team beat Miami University.
During and after the meet, the majority of the RedHawk swimmers seemed solemn and downtrodden, while the Cardinals were upbeat and enjoying themselves. Sometimes, winning isn't just what is on the scoreboard.
Miami boasts one of the best teams in the Mid-American Conference for both the men and the women. Many Ball State swimmers admitted they knew winning the meet was a narrow possibility, but focusing on hitting season-best times in the last dual meet of the season was an important thing to do.
If swimming season-best times was the goal for the meet, the Cardinals definitely met that goal.
"Overall, we had a very nice meet," coach Bob Thomas said. "Erika Paul had an absolutely outstanding meet. It's the last dual meet of her career and it was by far her best meet of the season thus far."
Paul swam a personal-best time in the 400-yard individual medley and was followed by Mary Ehresman and Catherine Ingram to complete the sweep in the event.
Paul, like many of the other swimmers, has consistently improved her times over the course of the season.
Thomas said his team is peaking at the right time and is in perfect position to compete well at the MAC championship.
On the diving side, Lisa Maertin turned in the third best score from the three-meter board in Ball State history with a 301.13.
"Three hundred is a goal I didn't think I would break this season," Maertin said. "Now that I have broken it, I feel really confident going into MAC."
Maertin placed sixth in last year's MAC championship with a score of 260.25 Her 301.13 would have been good enough for second place in last year's championship.
Whitney Adams also posted good scores on both boards, earning personal bests in both the one- and three-meter diving events. Her scores were good enough for third and fifth place, respectively.
The men boasted just as good of a showing as the women. Chris Krupa finished a strong second in the 200-yard butterfly, but came back to win the 100-yard fly later in the meet.
Freshman Gavin McNeely earned his first collegiate win in the 200-yard breaststroke with fellow freshman Todd Wegner finishing a mere tenth of a second behind.
Diver Chris Behrle, who is not competing at the MAC championship next week posted career bests on both boards.
"Chris had the meet of his life," coach Laura Seibold-Caudill said. "He was absolutely phenomenal."
Coach Thomas said both teams will begin to ease down the intensity at practice to prepare for the MAC championship meets.
The men finished the regular season with a record of 1-4 (0-3 MAC) and two meets behind first-place Miami, while the women's team finished 2-7 (1-6 MAC) and five meets behind first-place Miami.
The men's MAC championship is combined with the Sun Belt Conference and will be held next week in Nashville, Tenn. The women's championship will be held at Bowling Green University a week later.
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