By Afshin Mohamadi
Daily Sports Writer
It seems that it's not only the Michigan football team that has trouble with Northwestern.
After a road victory over Purdue Friday, the Michigan women's swimming team fell to the Wildcats, 157-143, and defeated Indiana, 221.5-78.5, in Bloomington on Saturday.
However, Michigan coach Jim Richardson said he's not worried.
"We've stressed to the team that it's not about beating the other team," Richardson said. "It's about swimming the fastest you can swim."
At the moment, the fastest the Wolverines can swim may be slower than normal.
Michigan's top swimmers - the ones who qualified for the NCAA championships, including freshman Shannon Shakespeare, junior Talor Bendel and senior Jodi Navta - continue to expend most of their energy in weekly practices.
By the time weekend meets roll around, they have been struggling to keep up with the opposition's best.
Still, Richardson admires their effort.
"(They) have been very steady," he said. "They are working hard (during the week) and swimming fatigued."
Despite the exhaustion, several swimmers sparkled Saturday. Junior Linda Riker swam a 2:01 in the 200-yard backstroke, while junior Ellen Fraumann had a strong showing in the breaststroke.
The workouts, however, have slowed down, and this week the Wolverines will swim at 40 percent of their normal load.
Richardson said it was evident that some swimmers who have been getting rest are beginning to perform better.
"We had some people who have the rest take hold (of the situation)," Richardson said.
Even though Richardson said he was pleased with his team's effort this weekend, the Wolverines suffered their first loss in Big Ten dual meets since the 1992-93 season.
"Northwestern swam a great, great meet," he said. " Even though we had the depth, their No. 1 people were extremely fast. They won almost every event."
For one who follows the Wolverines, the loss may not have come as a shock. In fact, Northwestern has been closing the gap on Michigan in recent years.
The Wolverines steamrolled the Wildcats by 87 points in their dual meet during the 1991-92 campaign.
Since then, however, the margin of victory has diminished in each successive year - last season Michigan only won by two points - until the Wildcats were able to overtake the Wolverines on Saturday.
Friday, the Wolverines defeated the Boilermakers by 59 points. Michigan was able to have its way with Purdue in most events, especially in freestyle.
Shakespeare won three events, all freestyle, while Stone and Bendel won two each. In total, the Boilermakers only garnered three victories out of the 14 total swimming events.
Michigan's divers got a victory from Val Pochron in the one-meter event.
For Richardson and the Wolverines, the payoff could come in two weeks at the Big Ten championships when they vye for a record 11th-straight Big Ten title.