Box Score

            Valparaiso jumped out to an early lead against Michigan State on Friday evening, but the Spartans depth was a little too much for the Brown and Gold, posting a 135-82 victory over the Crusaders at the Athletics-Recreation Center pool.

            Valpo got off to a strong start as Grace Arnold (Glendora, Calif./Glendora H.S.) won the 1,000 freestyle for the Brown and Gold.  The freshman touched the wall in 11:03.45, winning the event by more than eight seconds.  Stephanie Ferschl (Mukwonago, Wis./Mukwonago H.S.) finished third in the event for the Crusaders as well with a time of 11:22.44.  Arnold would also finish runner-up later in the meet with a time of 5:25.86 in the 500 free.

            Two events later, Becky Crabtree (Mason, Ohio/Mason H.S.) and Rachel Majercik (Schaumburg, Ill./Conant H.S.) went 1-2 in the 50 freestyle, putting the Crusaders in the lead through four events.  Crabtree turned in the third fastest time in school history with a time of 24.58 seconds, while Majercik was just .08 seconds behind her teammate.

            Michigan State would retake the lead in the middle events, before the Crusaders earned yet another event victory.

            Jaclyn Krause (Rochester, Mich./Notre Dame Prep H.S.) and Majercik went 1-2 to for the Brown and Gold in the 100 free.  Krause reached the wall in 54.50 seconds, out-touching her teammate by just .02 seconds.

            Amy Andracki (Arlington Heights, Ill./Prospect H.S.) added a runner-up finish for the Brown and Gold in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:07.51.

            Elizabeth Thompson (Norman, Okla./Norman North H.S.) earned a pair of third place finishes for Valpo with a time of 2:04.63 in the 200 freestyle and a mark of 1:02.45 in the 100 butterfly.  Shaunna Dangremond (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino H.S.) also registered a third place finish, doing so in the 100 backstroke with a mark of 1:03.15.

            “We swam Michigan State very competitively and had several personal bests as well as three first place finishes,” said interim head coach Barbara Tyree.  “I am really proud of them.”

            Valparaiso will wrap up the home portion of the 2007-2008 season on Saturday, January 19 at the ARC pool against Eastern Illinois.  The first event is set to begin at 2 p.m.