As both the Eastern men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams turn their attentions to the Midwest Classic Championship in less than two weeks, the regular season has come to a close.

With the men barely winning 122-120 over St. Louis University on Saturday at Lantz Natatorium, they seem well prepared to defend their title at the Midwest Classic. This latest dual meet win extends the men’s win streak to eight and improves their overall record to 9-3. Eastern head coach Ray Padovan says that there is no added pressure on the men’s team to capture back-to-back Midwest Classic Championships.

“Basically, the whole season is wrapped up into one meet,” Padovan said.

The women had their five meet win streak come to a halt when they were defeated 168-78 by St. Louis. The loss dropped their overall record to 6-6. On the men’s side, this victory over St. Louis let them sweep the season series with St. Louis.

Senior Tom Watson and sophomore Bill Senese were winners in multiple events for Eastern. Watson, who Padovan says, “has been phenomenal all year long,” won the 200, 500, and 1000-meter freestyle events. Senese captured first in the 50 freestyle and 200 backstroke. Senior Paul Luttinen was another winner for Eastern as he won the 200 butterfly.

On the women’s side, this was the second meet they dropped to St. Louis this year.

Two divers, seniors Angie Arnold and Lindsae Baldes, stood out against St. Louis.

Padovan cites the women’s diving as a key component to the team, as they are senior-dominated. Arnold took first in one meter diving, while Baldes finished first in three meter diving. The women hope to repeat the same success they had in 2003 at the Midwest Classic, the last year they came away with the title.

Padovan and the teams are turning their attention to Indianapolis, the site of the Midwest Classic.

“The workload in practice has already started to be cut back, starting last week,” Padovan said. “The swimmers are getting just as much work in, but the repetitions are starting to lessen,”

Padovan expects the men’s team to receive steep competition from Western Illinois and Eastern Michigan, while the women should face pressure from Northern Colorado and Miami(OH) at the Midwest Classic.