Miami(OH) ends Ohio University’s 54 Meet Home Win Streak

ATHENS, OH, February 5. THE Ohio women's swimming and diving team dropped just its second dual meet of the season and saw their 54-meet home meet winning streak come to an end with a 177-123 defeat to Miami in a Mid-American Conference contest at the Ohio Aquatics Center, per Ohio U. sources.

The Bobcats (7-2-1, 3-2-1 MAC) had three repeat winners on the night, headed by standout Michaela Hahn-Lawson (Painesville, Ohio), but eight event victories and season-best times were not enough to maintain the streak that dated back to 1996.

Hahn-Lawson won three individual events, turning in season and lifetime-best times in each, to pace the Ohio effort. The freshman took the 100 breaststroke with a 1:06.30 finish, captured the 200 breaststroke in 2:22.96, and was victorious in the 200 individual medley with a clock of 2:06.15. She also helped Ohio to a season-best time in the 200 medley relay, earning the victory.

Ilse Petersen (Johannesburg, South Africa) captured both distance freestyle events for the Bobcats, taking the 500 in 5:00.47 and the 1000 in a season-best time of 10:21.94. Like fellow freshman Hahn-Lawson, she contributed heavily in the Bobcats' 200 medley relay victory, swimming the freestyle anchor.

"Michaela (Hahn-Lawson) continued to establish herself as a force in the conference, as did Ilse (Petersen),” said Bobcat Head Coach Greg Werner. "They were tremendous in the medley relay to start the meet off for us."

Hahn-Lawson and Petersen teamed with Melissa Dunn (Noblesville, Ind.) and Barbara de' Sa (Rio De Janeiro, Brazil) to capture the 200 medley relay in a season-best time of 1:48.34

Bobcat freshman Debbie Thornbury (Orange Park, Fla.) captured both the one- and three-meter diving events for Ohio with scores of 255.45 and 266.10, respectively. Here mark in the one-meter dive was a season and lifetime best.

"Miami divers are always provide a tough challenge for us, but tonight she (Thornbury) won both events," said Werner. "Her performances were just two of a number of bright spots."

Mallory Rico (Mentor, Ohio) set a lifetime and Bobcat season-best time in the 50 freestyle, turning in a fourth place finish in 24.89. Taking third place with a season-best clock of 58.68, de Sa' finished third in the 100 butterfly.

Miami (12-1, 7-0 MAC) will maintain their first place conference standing with the victory. Trisha Lamb, Margaret Patrick, and Michelle Reynolds captured two victories apiece to pace the RedHawks.

The loss for the Bobcats eliminated them from attaining the top spot in the league standings and ended one of the longest home winning streaks in the nation. Ohio was last defeated in a dual meet at home on January 27, 1996, by Ball State. During the streak, the Bobcats turned aside every member of the Mid-American Conference and defeated non-league opponents such as North Carolina State, Illinois, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Oakland, and perennial Division III national champion Kenyon.

"That's just a tremendous accomplishment for all those ladies that have
been in the program to extend that streak as far as they did," said Werner. "But streaks are made to be broken, just like records are made to be broken, and tomorrow we'll start a new streak."

Both the Bobcat men and women will close out their dual meet schedule
tomorrow with Senior Day as they host Ball State in the Ohio Aquatic
Center. The 2005 senior class will be introduced just prior to the 1 p.m., scheduled start.

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