The Miami University women's swimming and diving team traveled to Muncie, Ind., where the team defeated the Ball State University (BSU) Cardinals 152.5-147.5.
The meet was the closest dual meet the RedHawks had this season, with the team depending on the final events to clinch the win.
Senior Miranda Kaltenborn, who swept the 500 and 1,000 freestyles, enjoyed the intensity of the meet.
"Our team hasn't experienced a close meet like this all year, so it definitely changed the atmosphere," Kaltenborn said. "The added adrenaline was extremely visible during the second half of the meet. By the final two events, the team came together as if the Mid-American Conference (MAC) title was on the line."
When it came down to the final event, the RedHawks were trailing by four points and depended on the 400-style relay team to clench the win.
The team consisted of Bekka Westrick, Maddie Kete, Katie Arlinghaus and Chelsey Bruington.
Full of adrenaline, the relay team was able to maintain a consistent two-second lead on the Cardinals. The relay ended with a RedHawks victory at the time of 3:31.78, outswimming BSU's time of 3:34.
The team's support and morale was an important factor leading to the success.
"I believe that our team came together and supported each other in both swimming and diving, and that was probably the most important factor in our victory today," sophomore diver Lisa Werwinski said. "We never backed down and we kept a positive attitude throughout the meet. I believe this meet really helped bring our team together and closer to our goal of winning a MAC championship."
Werwinski contributed four points to the team's score.
With such a close meet, the team also realizes it still has some work to do.
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"Our turns and finishes were a bit sloppy this meet, but like Kelsey Vehr said at the end of the meet, drills can fix that," Arlinghaus said. "There's no drill for coming together as a team to fight for a win when a meet is so close, and that is what we excelled at this meet."
Other first place winners include junior Kelsey Mallon in the 200 butterfly, and a victory in the 100 breastroke and the 200 individual medley for senior Megan Brunn.
The team now holds an 8-1 dual meet record and remains in first place in the Mid-Major Division 1 poll.
The RedHawks will resume their schedule at 1 p.m. Jan. 29 when they will host the University of Toledo at the Nixon Aquatic Center.
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