As the Syracuse swimming and diving team rests for its second of three Big East home meets, the pressure to excel mounts before February’s Big East Championships.

Last weekend, SU lost a close decision to Connecticut. Tomorrow, Syracuse will take on Seton Hall at 2 p.m. at Webster Pool.

With just two meets left before the Big East Championships, the Syracuse swimmers are already tapering — reducing the duration and increasing the intensity of their workouts — to build strength. Tapering in the weeks leading up to a big meet helps swimmers peak at the perfect time and swim their fastest when it counts most.

‘We’ve started to cut back on yardage in preparation for the conference meet,’ freshman Ryan Caponera said. ‘Our times are definitely getting faster as we do that. And I can see the progression, especially in the last couple weeks.’

‘The first half of the season, our major focus was the North Carolina meet,’ Syracuse head coach Lou Walker said. ‘Overall, as you look at all the swimmers and their times, we are faster now than we were heading into the North Carolina meet.’

But before Syracuse focuses all its attention on the Big East Championships, it’ll have to deal with Seton Hall. Historically, SU has outperformed the Pirates, and this season’s meet may follow that trend.

Seton Hall has lined up against six Big East squads this season, and Syracuse has faced two. But neither team has been terribly successful in conference. Seton Hall hasn’t won a Big East meet since Nov. 9 at Georgetown, and SU is still in pursuit of its first Big East victory.

‘In the past, we’ve been really successful against Seton Hall,’ Caponera said. ‘I know that they’re going to treat this meet as a big one.’

When it comes down to the numbers, Walker said, Syracuse is expected to beat Seton Hall and finally tally its first conference win.

The Syracuse swimmers will compete more against themselves than against Seton Hall. The importance of a win in this meet is overshadowed by the importance of training for the Big East Championships, so Syracuse will strive to hit faster times and prove that it’s ready to compete with the best.

‘I think we’re on a course to perform better than we did at North Carolina,’ Walker said. ‘We’re very pleased with our times.’

And Saturday, SU hopes its times will be even more pleasing.

‘On paper, our gals have a stronger program (than Seton Hall),’ Walker said. ‘We’re deeper than they are on the men’s side. The top-end kids are pretty comparable. In total, I think we’re a bit stronger.’

Published on January 30, 2003 at 12:00 pm