November 2, 1996

Notre Dame Men's Swimming Falls to Ball State

Muncie, Ind. -- Notre Dame's men's swimming and diving team dropped a tight 127-116 decision at Ball State Saturday in a meet that came down to the final race. The loss is the first dual meet loss for the Irish who opened the season a week ago with a win at Western Ontario. The Irish fall to 1-1 while the Cardinals open the season at 1-0.

Ball State jumped out to a quick 13-4 lead before the Irish took the top three spots in the 1000-yard freestyle. Scott Zumbach, John Lubker and Sean Casey finished one-two-three for Notre Dame who claimed a 20-16 lead after two events.

The Irish rallied once again turning a 62-50 Ball State lead into a slim 66-65 Notre Dame lead when Zumbach, Ry Beville and Rich Murphy placed one, two and three in the 200-yard butterfly.

Notre Dame attempted to rally once again. After the Cardinals built a 22 point lead with three events to go, the Irish trimmed the lead to 109-98 when Wes Richardson, Lubker and Robert Fetter, who won the 200-yard individual medley for Notre Dame, swept the first three places in the 500-yard freestyle. Notre Dame cut the lead to 114-112 when senior captain Matt Rose won the 200-yard breaststroke with Steele Whowell and Antonio Fonseca in third and fourth for the Irish.

Trailing by two points heading into the final event, Notre Dame came up short in the 400-yard freestyle relay as Ball State claimed first in the final event and hung on for the win.

Notre Dame returns to the pool Friday, Nov. 8, when they travel to Chestnut Hill, Mass., to face Boston College.