A tired Kansas University women’s swimming and diving team sprung back from last year’s loss at Nebraska, drowning the Cornhuskers, 176-124, on Saturday at Robinson Natatorium.

“The team is tired right now – we’re in the midst of holiday-break training camp,” KU coach Clark Campbell said. “We’ve just been training at a super-high intensity volume for the last couple of weeks, so it’s kind of wearing thin on them. And so, this wasn’t by far our fastest or our sharpest performance that we’ve had all year.

“It was definitely a hard-fought victory, but after just getting pummeled last year (180-120), we’re glad with how we responded and competed this year.”

The Jayhawks began their revenge by winning the opening event, the 200-yard medley relay.

“We wanted to set the tone early,” said senior Lindsey Urbatchka, who swam the third leg. “Our medley : it was a good tone-setter, I guess, for the meet. Going into the 1,000, we knew they have really good distance, so we wanted to start out ahead and then gain momentum throughout the meet.”

Kansas University swimming and diving coach Clark Campbell, left, chats with swimmer Danielle Herrmann after she won the 100-yard breaststroke in a dual meet against Nebraska. At center is KU assistant coach Jen Fox. The Jayhawks beat the Huskers, 176-124, in the dual Saturday at Robinson Natatorium.

KU did, winning nine of the final 15 events and placing second in five of the other six. One of those victories was the 400-yard freestyle relay – the closing event.

“We don’t want to set a tone early and be like, ‘Oh, we’re just going to fall off,'” said Urbatchka, who anchored the freestyle relay team. “You want to continue saying, ‘We’re the Jayhawks. We’re not leaving.’ And that was part of the finishes.

“I think it’s really important to close out a meet, because the 400 free relay is the last relay of all the meets – at conference that will be the last relay. So you want to end on a good note.”

Ashley Leidigh was one of three Jayhawks to win two individual events, taking the 100- and 200-yard butterfly races.

KU sophomore Terri Schramka cheers on a teammate during the 50-yard freestyle.

Campbell said the exhausted Leidigh eventually would adjust to the training regimen.

“She’s only a freshman, and it’s going to take her a couple of years to learn what this college-training thing is all about,” Campbell said.

Freshman Danielle Herrmann and junior Shelby Noonan were the other two-time winners. Herrmann won the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke, while Noonan was tops in the one- and three-meter diving. Noonan’s 283.73 points on the three-meter qualified her for Zone Diving on March 10-12 in Columbia, Mo.

Saturday’s victory over Nebraska makes KU 2-for-2 in Big 12 Conference duals, which has Urbatchka smiling after a 1-4 conference record a year ago.

Diving between three Huskers, KU Tricia Tindall, second from right, leaps to the lead in the 50 freestyle.

The Jayhawks only have Iowa State left on the regular-season conference schedule.

“That sits us at the third position going into conference championships, and that’s usually our goal because Texas has quite a few Olympians,” Urbatchka said. “They’re a jump ahead, and our goal is to close that gap every year. So this kind of sets up that we’re not even looking behind us, we’re chasing the Texas teams.”