'M' tankers knock off Spartans, fall to Texas

By Naweed Sikora

Daily Sports Writer

After winning the Continental Airlines Classic at Rice Nov. 10, the 11th-ranked Michigan women's swimming team returned home this weekend to face Texas and Michigan State in a dual meet. The Wolverines (2-3) easily defeated Michigan State, 210-91, but lost to the 10th-ranked Longhorns, 168-132. Michigan and Texas also swam Saturday in a non-scoring meet.

Although Saturday's meet was an exhibition, several Wolverines turned in excellent individual performances. Junior Lindsay Carlberg and freshman Annie Weilbacher finished first in the 100-yard backstroke and 200 breaststroke, respectively.

The relay team of Weilbacher, Jennifer Crisman, Laura Kaznecki and Traci Valasco finished first in the 200 medley relay.

At Friday's dual meet, Michigan performed well, racking up five separate first-place finishes. Weilbacher took first in the 100 breaststroke, while freshman Emily Fenn had a first and second place finish in the 1,000 and 500 freestyle races respectively.

The Wolverines performed particularly well in longer events, capturing the top four spots in the 1,000 freestyle and the top three spots in the 500 freestyle. Despite the loss to Texas, assistant coach Stefanie Kerska said she was happy with the team's effort over the weekend.

"We had lots of positive things come out of the meet this weekend," Kerska said. "I saw great consistency from Carlberg and Weilbacher, and our distance swimmers really stepped up. I feel that we matched up pretty well with Texas."

The Wolverines were without freshman freestyle swimmer Samantha Arsenault, who did not compete due to a tender shoulder. Arsenault, who won a gold medal for the United States in Sydney this past summer, is currently Michigan's top freestyle swimmer.

Arsenault has collected five first place finishes this season while recording NCAA consideration times in both the 500 and 200 freestyle events.

"Samantha has been swimming and training really well," Kerska said. "At this point in the season, we did not want to push her too hard."

Another impressive streak came to an end for Michigan this weekend. Freshman diver Tealin Keleman, who had not lost a single diving event this season, finished fourth in the one-meter dive and fifth in the three-meter dive.

BRANDON SEDLOFF/Daily

The women's swimming team split the weekend meets with Michigan State and Texas.