While the season is still young, the Irish men's and women's squads continue to head in opposite directions.
Behind 12 event victories, the women's squad thumped visiting Pittsburgh 184-116 Friday, improving to 2-1 in dual meets.
"We knew that Pitt was after us since they're one of our main competitors in the Big East," freshman Katie Carroll said. "We just went in there focused and did what we had to do."
Senior Danielle Hulick led the way for the No. 19 Irish, winning the 100-yard backstroke (57.67) in addition to both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle (24.03 and 52.54, respectively).
Seniors Marie Labosky (200-yard backstroke, 1,000-yard freestyle) and Meghan Perry-Eaton (one- and three-meter diving) and Carroll (100-yard butterfly and 200-yard individual medley) each recorded a pair of victories.
For Carroll, it was the second consecutive meet in which she won the 100-yard butterfly. Sophomores Christel Bouvron (200-yard butterfly) and Courtney Choura (200-yard breaststroke) and freshman Ellen Johnson (500-yard freestyle) also chipped in with first-place finishes.
The men's team, on the other hand, dropped its third consecutive dual meet as the Spartans edged the Irish, 125.5-113.5.
While Michigan State claimed seven event victories, the depth of Notre Dame's young team was evident as the Irish took three of the top four spots in six of the 11 swimming events, including the 50-yard freestyle, 400-yard freestyle relay, 100- and 1,000-yard freestyle, 200-yard individual medley and 200-yard butterfly.
Individual race victories were turned in by freshman Tim Kegelman (50-yard freestyle), sophomore Patrick Davis (1,000-yard freestyle) and junior Frank Krakowski (100-yard freestyle).
The loss marks only the third time in the 46-year history of the Notre Dame men's swimming and diving program that the Irish have begun the season 0-3 in dual meets. Notre Dame has never started 0-4.
Nevertheless, the Irish don't appear to be fazed by the slow start and are using the dual meets as an opportunity to define different individual roles.
