Results

INDIANAPOLIS – The IUPUI women's swimming and diving team sits in second place following Day 1 action at the 2013 House of Champions Meet at the IUPUI Natatorium.

Wisconsin-Green Bay sits comfortably in first place with 636 points, followed by IUPUI and its 463 points. Evansville is in third place with 392.5 points, followed by Lewis University, Western Illinois, Butler, Centre College and Eastern Illinois in that order.

"Our group did a great job today. We could not be happier about where we are at this point of the season highlighted by the fact that we had a bunch of breakthrough swims tonight," head coach Matt Bos said. "Margaret Barber has been hovering around the five minute mark for a few years, so it was awesome for her to finally break that barrier. Natalie Trout put in a great swim tonight as did Vanessa Roop. The women's 400 medley was also a nice surprise. Lexi Laird got us off to a great start, which is a good sign, as she is still heavy in her training prep for Short Course Nationals in a few weeks."

The night started with a second-place finish in the 200 freestyle relay, before Barber became the first IUPUI swimmer to break the 5-minute mark in the 500 free. Barber got off to a solid start, but it was her closing 50 that sealed the deal. Her final 50 of 28.38 was her second-best 50-split of the race and that finish ultimately resulted in her new school-record time of 4:58.73 and a victory by .15 seconds. Barber wasn't the only Jag swimmer to make the 'A' final, as Trout made the Top 8 in the prelims before shaving nearly 2.5 seconds off her time in the final to place sixth at 5:05.74.

Jennifer Oleksiak was the lone Jag to make the 'A' final in the 200 IM and finished sixth at 2:09.92, before Alexus Laird timed in at 23.92 to place second in the 50 free. Madison Taylor also recorded a Top 5 finish in the 50 free clocking in at 24.23.

To wrap up the swimming action on the opening night, a late charge from the Jaguars helped them tie Wisconsin-Green Bay for first in the 400 medley relay. Laird got the group started off on the right foot as her 100 back opening split of 55.44 was the second-best time in school history. Despite Laird giving her teammates nearly a two second lead, the Phoenix rallied to take a lead heading into the final 100 free. However, Taylor timed in at 52.18 in the final four lengths allowing IUPUI to tie for first.

In diving action, Melissa Berger came away with the victory in the 1-meter dive posting a six-dive score of 247.55

Day 2 of the House of Champions Meet resumes at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23, with the prelims, while the finals are set to start at 6 p.m.