Streak ended - two words that the Penn women's swimming team would not like to see in the recap of its meet with La Salle tonight.
The Explorers (5-3) will be trying to do something they haven't in five years -- beat Penn - when the two teams meet at La Salle's Kirk Pool. The Quakers (3-4) have won by a combined score of 750-489 during the streak.
However, Penn coach Mike Schnur was reluctant to use the word "dominate" to describe the Quakers' success in their matchups with La Salle.
"I would say we have beaten them," Schnur said modestly. "I wouldn't say that we have dominated them. We have had some very competitive meets with them."
In any event, the Red and Blue feel good going into their clash with the Explorers.
"Our team confidence is pretty good," Schnur said. "In swimming you kind of know your opponent because it's all based on time. With the way that everyone's results are up on the Internet after each meet, our girls know exactly what La Salle has."
The Quakers have had to cope with numerous injuries this season, including that of star junior backstroker Sara Coenen. They will again have to find a way to deal with the absence of key swimmers tonight, as several swimmers have class that will prevent them from traveling.
"[The swimmers] are going to have to really step up and come through in some events that maybe we haven't done all year," Schnur said.
The La Salle meet will feature a new format which Schnur described as "all short races," which will allow the Quakers to have a change of pace.
"We switch up our lineup a bit because it's more of a fun meet," senior captain Amy Wolf said. "It's a meet with not too much pressure and it gives us another chance to race before championships."
Schnur emphasized that Penn will have to work on the "little things" in order to be the victor tonight.
"We need to be 100 percent sharp three weeks from now," he said, referring to the Ivy Championships. "Our women's team has terrible relay starts and that is something that we have to get better at."
Schnur is particularly excited to see some of the head-to-head matchups.
"I think there are going to be some great races," he said. "I'm looking forward to the short breaststroke races between Laura Klick and Shannon Duval."
Duval, a standout breaststroker for the Explorers, won bronze at the 2007 Atlantic 10 Championships in the 200-yard breaststroke.
"Our women just need to step up and race hard," Schnur said.
