For the third time in as many years, the John Carroll vs Wooster women's swimming & diving meet comes down to a single digit margin.

For the third time in as many years, the home team prevailed. Host Wooster edged John Carroll 113.5-109.5 in yet another meet that came down to the wire.

Results

The Blue Streaks were in catch-up mode all night after the Fighting Scots finished first and second in the opening relay, the 200 Medley. In fact, Wooster posted wins in the first three events before the Blue Streaks could muster some momentum of their own. After the 200 Free, John Carroll was trailing by a significant margin, 41-14.

Olivia Talamo started the resurgence when she edged Molly Likins, 25.72 to 25.85, in the 50 Free. Gwyn Ledrick then followed with a big effort in the 200 IM. She finished first in 2:14.93, and was followed to the wall by Katelin Avenir (2:21.60, 3rd) and Felice Ferrante (2:22.30, T-4th).

Chloe Podzerac was unopposed in one-meter diving, picking up a win. Tori Vale also grabbed a win, making it four in a row for the Blue Streaks, as she won the 100 Fly.

Suddenly, JCU was only down 63.5-57.5.

Wooster would gather itself, and produced some big wins in the 100 Free, 100 Back and 500 Free, and as a result, pushed its advantage back up to double figures at 99.5-78.5.

The Blue Streaks would get one last burst. Podzerac's unopposed win in 3-meter diving and Ledrick taking first in the 100 Breast (1:07.24) pulled John Carroll to within nine points (107.5-98.5) entering the final event.

JCU would need a sweep of the top two places in the final relay to pull off the improbable comeback, and would need a first and a third to tie the meet.

The Blue & Gold nearly pulled off the latter. The "A" relay of Vale, Shelbi Shearer, Maddie Dolce and Talamo won in 1:42.68, a full second ahead fo Wooster's "A" relay. The battle of the "B" relays was decided by less than a second, as the Fighting Scots "B" (1:46.88) edged the Blue Streaks "B" (1:47.51) to claim the final two points awarded in the race for third place.

John Carroll is now 3-2 in dual meets this season, and will face league and crosstown rival Baldwin Wallace tomorrow (Saturday) at 12 noon in Berea.