Separated from the Maryland swimming and diving team by eight lanes of water, the Towson and UMBC men's and women's teams stood together before Saturday's meet as a seemingly unified front.
Donning nearly identical black and gold warm-ups, the Tigers and Retrievers invaded College Park with different motives, but with one goal for their respective teams: take down the Terps.
But when the water came to a standstill at Eppley Recreation Center Natatorium, the Terrapins could claim absolute victory. The Terps went a combined 4-0 against their in-state rivals, remaining perfect against nonconference opponents.
"In terms of where we want to be as a team and a program, we still have some work to do," coach Sean Schimmel said. "But it was definitely good that we got two wins today against two other Maryland teams."
The men's side (4-3) avenged last year's disappointing loss to UMBC with a 163-134 thumping of the Retrievers, and breezed by Towson, 197-99. The Terps took the first event of the day, the 200-yard medley relay, in convincing fashion and never looked back.
The steadying presence and dependable performances of seniors Eric Cullen (first in the 100-yard breaststroke) and Andy Dilz (fastest freestyle leg in the 200-yard medley relay) did not surprise the UMBC side. But it was the breakthrough performance of the team's underclassmen, especially the freshmen, that ensured the Retrievers would not return to Baltimore victorious.
Andrew Relihan took first in the 200-yard backstroke and 200-yard individual medley, Sean Stewart won the 200-yard butterfly and Chris Sanford edged out two other Terps in the 100-yard backstroke, providing Schimmel a glimpse into the future.
"The way they've been practicing, the way they've been swimming in meets, it was expected," Cullen said. "They just followed through and did what they were supposed to do and did a great job."
The women followed an identical recipe for success. Veterans Jen Vogel and Yelena Skalinskaya accounted for five individual victories and combined with Nina Rossi and Annie Fittin to take the 200-yard medley relay by more than three seconds. Much like Stewart and Relihan on the men's side, freshmen Alexa Hamilton (first in the 200-yard breaststroke) and Ginny Glover (first in the 200-yard backstroke) shined at home, guaranteeing the Terps would hand the Tigers' women their first loss of the season, 156-142.
"Our freshmen were really having an impact today on what was going on," Schimmel said. "They did well. I'm really proud of how they came in here and kept their head in the game through the whole meet."
After a draining four hours of swimming and diving action Saturday afternoon, it's back to the pool for the Terps. The team will have only four days of rest and recovery before they host the Terrapin Cup, a three-day, championship-style meet beginning Thursday that features some of the best teams in the region.
"We're pumped up," Cullen said. "We're hoping to get a couple of days of easier practice, then show up and tear it up."
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