Moscow, Idaho- The University of Idaho Swimming and Diving Team lost to Boise State University for the first time in school history Saturday in front of a packed house at the UI Aquatic Center.
The three year old Bronco program avenged last season's loss at Boise with a 175-111 win built on many close races early in the meet.
The Vandals were just out-touched in the first event, the 200-yard-medley relay, which was a race all the Vandals knew would be important Idaho Head Coach Tom Jager said.
“They knew they had to win the medley relay, so they knew at that point that it was going to be an up-hill battle, but they never once threw in the towel,” Jager said.
The Vandals lost two more close races before the 100-yard-backstroke, and were still looking for a first place finish. The capacity crowd of over 150 fans exploded when Sophomore, Anna Humphrey, finally touched the wall first in a race where first and third places were only separated by a half second.
Despite taking second, third and fourth in both the 200-yard-butterfly and the 50-yard-freestyle, Idaho couldn't close the gap on the Broncos until they earned another win. Alyson O'Brien and Si Jia Pang delivered a one-two finish in the 100-yard-freestyle to a raucous crowd eager to make a comeback against the in-state rival.
Coach Jager was pleased with O'Brien's performance in the 100-yard-freestyle after a slip in the blocks cost her a close race in the 200-yard-freestyle, Jager said.
“She beat a superior athlete in the 100-free. She should have won the 200, but she got beat, and they should have won the 100, and we beat them, so that's pretty good for Alyson.”
Amanda Watson immediately followed suit with an impressive first place swim in the 200-yard-backstroke of 2:08.23, setting the new season best for the Vandals. Her performance was probably the best of the day, said Jager, because he knew Boise State had some great athletes in the backstroke.
The Vandals were boosted by the strong swimming of sophomore, Elizabeth Jagusch, who swam in her first meet since February in Idaho's loss to Washington State University, Friday. Jagusch returned to the team after an injury in August forced her to have ligaments taken from her leg to help repair the damage from a broken collar bone. After the injury, the sophomore didn't know if she could return for the season, or even at all, and is now happy with how she has swam in her first two meets back, Jagusch said.
“At first it was just to kind of see what I could do,” Jagusch said, “then I went off in the relay and had a pretty good time, close to my best, so then I just wanted to see if I could do better.”
Jagusch posted a season best for the Vandals with her second place time of 1:06.04 in the 100-yard-breast stroke.
Despite losing to Boise State for the first time, Coach Jager said the competition showed good signs for swimming in the state.
“The biggest thing that you take out of this is that these are two young teams coming out of Idaho and starting to make an impact on the WAC,” Jager said.
The Vandals will have their next meet at home Friday, Feb. 6 at 5:00 p.m.