Jan. 17, 1998
Notre Dame Women's Swimming Hands Illinois First Loss 175-125
Complete Results
NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- Notre Dame's women's swimming and diving team won
11 of 16 events to hand 22nd-ranked Illinois its first dual-meet loss of
the season with a 175-125 win at Rolfs Aquatic Center. Senior Linda Gallo
won three events to help the 24th-ranked Irish improve to 6-0 while the
Illini dropped to 8-1.
Notre Dame's 400 medley relay team put the Irish up 11-6 early in a lead
they would never lose. Gallo then won back-to-back events in the 1000
freestyle and 200 freestyle in a school record 1:50.10 for a 34-21 lead.
After Illinois cut the lead to 40-34, junior Brittany Kline, sophomore
Shannon Suddarth and freshman Kathleen Rimkus swept the top three spots in
the 100 breaststroke to put Notre Dame ahead 56-37. Sophomore Alison
Newell won the 200 butterfly and freshman Carrie Nixon won the 50
freestyle, and the Irish led 81-50. Sophomore Gina Ketelhohn headed up a
Notre Dame sweep in the one-meter diving for a 97-53 lead.
Illinois won the next two events to narrow the Irish margin to 110-78 but
Suddarth won the 200 breaststroke, Gallo won the 500 freestyle and
sophomore Liz Barger won the 100 butterfly for a 150-95 lead. Ketelhohn
led another Irish sweep in the three-meter diving to clinch the win.
Illinois then won the last next two events for the final 175-125 margin.
Notre Dame now takes a week off before traveling to Bowling Green on Fri.,
Jan. 30, and to Michigan on Sat., Jan. 31, in the final preparations before
the Irish defend their BIG EAST title Feb. 18-21, at Pittsburgh.
