Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
BYU (Dual)
Cougars nip Rams in conference showdown
1/17/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
Jan. 17, 2008
PROVO, Utah - Another meet produced another young star but the Colorado State swimming team couldn't outlast BYU, and sustained a hard-fought loss Thursday night at the Richards Building Pool, 158.5-136.5.
In a battle of teams atop the Mountain West standings, BYU handed the Rams (6-1, 4-1 conference) their first dual loss on the season. It was CSU's first dual-meet setback in nearly a year, since Feb. 2 at Wyoming.
Despite the loss, Head Coach John Mattos knows that the regular season is really a long set of preliminary competitions, setting the stage for every athlete's ultimate goal, the Mountain West championships.
"We didn't win the events tonight," Mattos said, "but our times put us in good shape heading toward the conference meet."
And after her performance Thursday, Mei Ratz can count herself among those in good shape. Ratz, a sprinter who hails from Lander, Wyo., is CSU's latest freshman sensation. She paced the Rams in the 50 Free (24.89), then after a short break turned in a 53.45 in the 100 Free, two of CSU's best times this season in those events.
Ratz also finished the anchor leg of the 400 Free Relay in only 52.50 seconds, helping the Rams to win that competition.
"We were in most every event, right up until the last races," Mattos said. "All our kids were in the mix. I couldn't be more satisfied with the effort we put forth tonight."
Sophomore Nora Kennedy (58.12) put forth one of the Rams' best efforts on the night in beating the Cougars' Angela Price (58.13) in the 100 Butterfly. Price was an All-American in that event last season.
Junior Annsley Lujan finished the 200 Breaststroke in 2:23.43, establishing CSU's season best in that event. Sophomore Shaelen Quigley swam a 2:28.22 in the 200 Breaststroke, a lifetime best.
Other lifetime bests included senior Celes Parks in the 1,000 Free (10:30.83) and freshman standout Michelle Price in the 200 IM (2:11.77). In a clash of two of the best MWC backstrokers, Price (58.36) finished second to BYU's Sara Jayne Christiansen (58.31) by a fingernail in the 100 Back.
But Price avenged the loss in the 200 Back and, with fellow Fort Collins product Maddie Gamble, led the Rams to a 1-2 finish in that race.
On the boards, both Elyse Hall and Karin Knudson qualified for the NCAA Zone E Regionals in mid-march, in both the 1- and 3-meter events. Hall (278.10) edged Knudson (270.08) in the 1-meter completion, while Knudson (272.10) beat out Hall (268.80) on the 3-meter board.
"It was just a solid, well-contested meet," Mattos said.
The team will remain in Provo and practice early Friday morning at the same pool. Then, they'll make the trek north to Salt Lake City, and begin preparations for another steep task, a dual at always-dangerous Utah.
"We need to stay on task," Mattos said. "If we can finish this trip 1-1 after the way we swam tonight, that'll be a tremendous accomplishment. That's our goal."
The Rams may have caught a break, though. Normally, trips through Utah are scheduled on back-to-back days. This year, however, CSU gets a day in between. The Rams will practice both Friday and Saturday morning, and because of a Utes home basketball game, won't even compete at Utah until 4 p.m.
"Utah has good athletes in every event," Mattos said. "We have a big challenge ahead of us."
