The Falcons swimming and diving team traveled to southern Florida over break, training for what is sure to be an intense end to the season.

It could not have come at a better time.

After back to back losses to conference foes Miami and Ohio, the Falcons preformed well at the Ohio State Invitational finishing sixth.

Now in the middle of 46 days between competitive meets, the Falcons are keeping a grueling training schedule, including swimming in Coral Springs, Fla. to prepare to face Toledo on Jan. 23.

Sophomore Sarah Burston thinks the trip is just what the team needed.

“It was the most intense training we have had all year,” Burston said. “We were running and swimming in warm weather.”

But the entire trip was not focused on training.

“Being in Florida gave us the opportunity, as a team, to grow closer,” freshman Megan Bomicino said. “The training we did really made us closer because we pushed each other and encouraged each other to do well. It was a great way for our team to become even closer as a family.”

Although their records may not indicate it, coach Keri Buff is confident her training method for the team will provide positive long term results. Earlier in the season Buff laid out her strategy of finishing strong.

“We have been training through each meet, not taking any time to rest up.” Buff said. “But the fact that we have been training so hard will show up when it comes to the MAC Championships.”

All-conference senior Alisha Yee, who has been dealing with a nagging shoulder injury, is confident the team will be ready to return to competition.

“As a team we are in the best shape we have been in all year,” the backstroke specialist said. “It will be nice to get back into the pool and compete again.”

The much needed reprieve could not come at a better the for the Falcons as the team has three meets remaining before the

MAC Championships, which will be held in Bowling Green Feb. 25-28.

“[The MAC Championships] are always the most important meet of the year, and we usually shed a lot of time there,” Yee said.

But before the Falcons can think about hosting the rest of the conference in March, they must first travel to Toledo where they will face a Rocket team that is perennially one of the strongest teams in the MAC.

The Falcons are 1-3 in conference competitions this year and placed sixth in both swimming and diving at the Ohio State Invitational in December.

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Contact sports reporter John Lopez at [email protected].