The annual Swamp Rat Bowling Classic is a traditional women's swimming and diving team event during Winter Term, and this year was no exception as the Yeowomen invaded College Lanes on Jan. 22 to take a break from intense training and competition.
"Coach always cheats to win," Yeomen Sophomore Matt Soellner, whose team also competed in the Classic, explained as Michaels gave first-year Shana Ageloff penalty points so he could edge her out of first-place.
The event took place after the team had returned from their annual training trip to Florida. Over the rest of Winter Term the Yeowomen competed against Case Western Reserve University, Mount Union College, John Carroll University, and Kenyon College.
The Yeowomen fell to Case Western 113-106 on Jan. 10, their first day back from Florida. Diver junior Hannah Borthwick had an outstanding meet, winning both diving competitions for the Yeowomen. Had the Yeowomen won the final freestyle relay they would have won the meet.
The next day, Jan. 11, the team was excited to go on a road trip to Mount Union College for some tough competition. An ice storm prevented this trip, but not the meet.
Instead the team swam against themselves at home and 12 hours later the coaches faxed each other the results. This "phone" meet was a test of the team's mental determination, because the only competition came from inside each swimmer.
"A lot of people sucked a lot of water," co-captain senior Pritham Khalsa said.
The Yeowomen still won the meet 122-110.
Sophomore Clara Stemwedel and first-years Julie Fritz and Andrea Lindborg swam strong to propel the Yeowomen to victory.
Stemwedel swam a season best 2:06.74 in the 200-yard freestyle and equaled her December shave-time in the 500-yard freestyle of 5:27. Fritz won the 1000-yard freestyle (11:53) and 100-yard butterfly (1:11). Lindborg had a season best in the 100-yard backstroke (1:06.57).
Almost two weeks later Oberlin split a dual-meet with John Carroll University on Jan. 24. At this the Yeowomen fell 129-96.
The following day Kenyon College came to Oberlin and bowled over the yeowomen beating them 116-89. Kenyon is the reigning men's and women's Division III National Champions.
The Yeowomen still swam with intensity. Sophomore Julie Chor swam the 200-yard butterfly under 2:40. Lindborg swam a 1:05 in the 100-yard butterfly.
The Yeowomen have a break from competition until the upcoming North Coast Athletic Conference swimming championships at Carr Pool on Feb. 13-15. The fan section for the Yeowomen will include Artist in Residence Theater and Dance Michael Early's acting class. The professor wants his students to see and be inspired by the "drive" of the swimmers.
The team is really pumped up for the meet.
"Basically our philosophy is that this is the meet we have been training for all year long," Michaels said.
Copyright © 1997, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 125, Number 13; February 7, 1997
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