Gilliam Keys Blue Victories Against Seminoles, Spartans

Friday, November 7

Ann Arbor, Mich.

5:00 PM

Michigan

146

136

Florida State

Gilliam Keys Blue Victories Against Seminoles, Spartans

11/7/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Canham Natatorium)
Results: #16 Michigan 146, #20 Florida State 136; #16 Michigan 194, Michigan State 88
Records: U-M (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten), MSU (0-2, 0-2 Big Ten), FSU (6-1)
Next U-M Meet: Saturday, Nov. 8 -- Relay Meet vs. Florida State (Canham Natatorium), 11 a.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 16 University of Michigan women's swimming and diving team earned a pair of victories in a double dual meet with No. 20 Florida State and Michigan State Friday night (Nov. 7) in the friendly waters of Canham Natatorium. Michigan defeated Florida State 146-136 in a head-to-head battle that came down to the final event, and the Wolverines trounced Michigan State 194-88.

Freshman Susan Gilliam (Los Angeles, Calif./Bolles School) was the Michigan workhorse as she won three individual events, includinng back-to-back wins in the 1,000- and 200-yard freestyles early in the meet. Gilliam clocked in at 9:57.51 for her first win of the evening in the 1,000-yard freestyle, a time that bettered the field by nearly seven seconds. Senior Emily-Clare Fenn (Westport, Conn./Staples HS) was second in the race with a time of 10:04.48.

Following a four-minute breather, Gilliam mounted the starting block for the 200-yard freestyle. Just 1:51.13 later Gilliam had her second individual event title of the evening as she touched the wall 0.85 seconds ahead of classmate Lindsey Smith (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS), who clocked in at 1:51.98.

In the Dick Kimball Diving Pool, Tealin Kelemen (Riverton, N.J./Moorestown Friends School) posted a pair of victories with wins on the one- and three-meter springboards. Keleman posted a score of 267.35 to win the one-meter event and 304.80 on the three-meter board.

Freshman Kaitlyn Brady (Wilmington, Del./Mount Pleasant HS) handed Michigan nine more points when she won the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:03.67. Two events later Gilliam turned in her third win of the evening with an NCAA consideration time of 4:53.24 in the 500-yard freestyle. Fenn again was the second to touch the wall when she stopped the clock in 4:56.80.

Senior Anne Weilbacher (Columbus, Ohio/St. Francis De Sales HS) made it two straight wins with a first-place finish in the 100-yard butterfly in 55.39. Weilbacher's time was just 0.03 seconds behind the NCAA consideration standard of 55.36.

After a 10-minute break in the action, Weilbacher again turned in the fastest time, winning the 200-yard IM with a mark of 2:04.14. This time Weilbacher did break the NCAA consideration standard as the B standard of the 200-yard IM is 2:04.29.

The first-place finish also gave the Wolverines a slight advantage over Florida State heading into the final race, the 200-yard freestyle relay. However, the foursome of Brady, Smith, Tracy Egnatuk (Albion, Mich./Albion Senior HS) and Abby Seskevics (Grand Haven, Mich. (Grand Haven HS) left no doubt in the standings as they clinched the double dual victory with a first-place showing in 1:34.57.

The Wolverines return to the pool Saturday (Nov. 8) when they host Florida State in a relay dual at 11 a.m. in Canham Natatorium.

Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423