NCAA DIVISION II SWIM CHAMPIONSHIPS : Northridge Women Take Early Lead

There were smiles, but not the bear hugs or uninhibited celebration that normally accompanies the breaking of a national record.

Such occurrences have come to be expected for the Cal State Northridge women’s swimming and diving team.

Northridge, the defending national champion, set a national meet record in the 200-yard medley relay Tuesday, the first day of the NCAA Division II swimming and diving championships at the University of Buffalo.

The team of Stacy Mettam (backstroke), Tina Schnare (breaststroke), Tina Dodson (butterfly) and Jude Kylander (freestyle) led wire to wire to win in 1:46.51. That broke the record of 1:47.25 that had been held by CSUN’s 1986 relay team of which Mettam, Schnare and Kylander were also members.

So should we expect them to be overwhelmed?

“We’re excited,” said Kylander, who swam the anchor leg of the relay. “Maybe we just didn’t show it. We probably could have gone even faster, but it was pretty dead in here. Nobody was yelling.”

Correction: Nobody was yelling for Northridge. Particularly if they were from Tampa, which was supposed to be in hot competition with CSUN in the early stages of the four-day meet.

Tampa finished fifth in the relay and is already 29 points behind first-place Northridge in the team standings. CSUN has 100 points.

Coach Pete Accardy was a little disappointed in the relay team’s record time--he felt it could have been a full second faster--but overall he could not complain.

“We weren’t as up as we should have been for that relay--which sounds ridiculous to say after a national record--but everyone is really swimming tremendous,” Accardy said.

Northridge showed its strength early, almost sweeping the night’s first final--the 500-yard free style.

Jeanna Giessinger won with a time of 4:57.11, Michelle Sulak was second in 4:56.71 and Lisa Dial was fourth in 4:58.99.

The Lady Matadors also got third-place finishes from freshman Carol Eisele in the 200-yard individual medley and Kylander in the 50-yard freestyle.

Cal State Bakersfield leads the men’s competition with 76 points. Northridge is fifth with 31 points.