Philip Vukelich | Argonaut
Erica Anderson completes the final leg of the race Idaho’s winning 200-yard freestyle relay team. The Vandals beat Oregon State 188-86 Saturday in the UI Swim Center. Ten Vandals competed in their last home meet at Idaho in the victory.
The last swimmer touched the wall in the 200-yard freestyle relay and the Vandals could finally sing the fight song with all their cheering fans.
The Idaho swimming and diving team defeated Oregon State 188-86 on Saturday in the University of Idaho Swim Center. It was Senior Day for the Vandals and their only spring home meet. Idaho already had a substantial lead going into the last event but a first and third-place finish in the 200 freestyle relay sealed a dominating 102-point victory over the Pac-12 Beavers.
“It was great,” Idaho coach Mark Sowa said following the win. “We love swimming at home, we love swimming in front of a packed crowd. That’s the way we want to send out 10 really special people to this program. They’ve meant a lot to us over the last four years, they’ve seen this program move forward in a lot of ways.”
On Senior Day, it was the seniors who stepped up for Idaho. Diver Paige Hunt, Idaho’s most decorated diver in program history, broke her own record in the 3-meter dive with a score of 331.36. She also won the 1-meter dive with a score of 279.59.
“We have three senior divers and certainly they’ve meant so much to our diving program,” Sowa said. “(They) really have been the cornerstone of what we’re looking to build — one of the best diving programs in the Northwest, which I think we’re well on our way to doing that already.”
In the pool, senior Megan Venlos impressed with three first-place finishes. She was a part of the winning 200 medley relay (1 minute, 43.75 seconds) as well as the 200 freestyle relay (1:34.90) — the first and last swimming events of the day. Venlos also won the tightest race of the day with her 0.04 second victory in the 100 freestyle.
“Megan Venlos winning the 100 freestyle by less than a tenth of a second against a girl that made NCAAs last year — that’s a very good swimmer that she touched out,” Sowa said.
Although Venlos’ opponent, Sammy Harrison, is normally a distance swimmer, Sowa said it was still an impressive race and accomplishment.
It wasn’t only the seniors that impressed in their last meet in front of a home crowd. Idaho mainstay Rachel Millet, a junior, added victories in the 200 freestyle (1:51.33) and 200 backstroke (2:03.89) — in addition to joining Venlos, Erica Anderson and Taylor Strachan in the 200 medley relay and Venlos, Anderson and Kirah Monks in the 200 freestyle relay.
In all, Idaho won 12 of the 16 events at the meet.
“That was a really big win for us,” Venlos said. “The roles were kind of reversed when we swam them last year, so that sets us up really well getting prepared for our conference meet in about a month — so we’re all excited. What a great way to end a home career as a senior with all the fans and that big of a win.”
Oregon State beat Idaho last year 143-119 in Corvallis, Ore. The two teams tied the year before. This time, it was Idaho’s time to shine.
“Wins are fun no matter what, because they are not easy to come by,” Sowa said. “Especially with I think a very well-coached Oregon State team and a very talented Oregon State team.”
Following the win, some of the Vandals travel Friday to Colorado Springs, Colo., for the Air Force Academy Diving Invitational, but the team won’t compete as a whole until Feb. 26 in San Antonio for the WAC Championships.
“Momentum only lasts as long as your next training session,” Sowa said. “We’ll get back to work and one of the main things we need to do over the next month is keep them healthy and keep kids focused … put them back together again and get ready for San Antonio at the end of February.”
Senior standouts
Paige Hunt – diver
Paige Hunt
Hunt broke her own record in the 3-meter dive with a score of 331.36 while also winning the 1-meter dive with a score of 279.59. The previous 3-meter dive record was 319.05 set on February 28, 2013.
Megan Venlos – swimmer
Megan Velnos
Venlos had one individual victory and two relay victories for Idaho. Her win in the 100-yard freestyle came in 52.85 seconds — just .04 seconds ahead of the next finisher. Venlos was also a part of the winning 200 medley relay (1 minute, 43.75 seconds) and the 200 freestyle relay (1:34.90).
More info – Idaho against Oregon State
The Vandals and Beavers have a 2-2-1 record against each other over the last five years after Idaho’s 188-86 victory on Saturday. Neither team has been able to beat the other on the road.
Stephan Wiebe can be reached at [email protected]