Entering the final stretch of the season, the Eastern men’s and women’s swim teams will travel to Indiana to take on the Valparaiso Crusaders this weekend.

On the men’s side, Eastern should be able to walk out of the Valparaiso Athletics-Recreation Center victorious according to Panthers head coach Ray Padovan.

“We match up with the men pretty well,” Padovan said. “We had (Valpo) at the Panther Invitational back in October and defeated them there. If you look at it on paper we should win.”

At the Panther Invitational, the men quickly disposed of the Crusaders by more than 200 total team points (649-411). Valpo placed second at the six-team meet ahead of schools Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, Butler, Millikin and Lincoln College.

The men are currently on a five meet winning streak and haven’t tasted defeat since a 143-100 loss against Illinois-Chicago on Oct. 24.

Leading the charge in a majority of those meets has been senior Rich Wahlgren. The freestyler leads all Panther swimmers with 15 individual wins including the 200-yard free seven times this season.

Right behind Wahlgren is Tom Watson. The junior picked up a win in the 500-yard free last week against Millikin and now has 12 wins on the year. Most of Watson’s damage has come in the 500-yard free, which he has won eight times, and the 1000-yard free where he has been victorious on four different occasions.

Recently, the Panthers have received much-needed help in the breaststroke from freshman Tyson Beaman. The Texan picked up his first collegiate win in the 100-yard breaststroke on Nov. 20, 2003, and followed up that win with another just one meet later against Butler. While Beaman was not victorious against Millikin last week Padovan was impressed with the way the freshman has been swimming

“He’s coming along really well,” Padovan said. “He fills a big role for us in the breaststroke and has had some really nice times in the 200-yard heats. He likes the shorter events better, but (teammate) Chad Croucher has really been pushing him (timewise) lately.”

The women’s match up could sway either way as both teams have very similar records. Valpo will enter the swim with a 2-5 dual meet record, while Eastern has won two consecutive meets and brings a 3-5 record into this weekend’s action.

“The competition is really much closer in the women’s meet than the men’s,” Padovan said. “I feel we’re much more in control of the men’s meet than the women’s.”

The Panthers will bring confidence into the meet after defeating Butler in December and Millikin just this past week. Padovan believes the women are swimming as successfully now as they have throughout the entire season and are on the top of their game.

“Actually, they have been swimming real well,” Padovan said. “When I’m coaching the meets I don’t get to see the (swimmer’s) times as much as I know who won or lost. Looking back we have had some solid times and we are definitely making progress.”

One of those swimmers “making progress” is sophomore Jenny Curry. After struggling at the beginning of the season, Curry won two events against Butler (50 and 100-free) and also was the victor in the 50-free against St. Louis three meets ago.

With the men’s five consecutive dual meet victories and the women’s two straight, Padovan said the team is shaping up well for the season-ending Midwest Classic Championship in late February.

“Right now we look pretty good,” Padovan said. “At this point in the season, we’ve done enough work that we can rest for about two weeks before (the “Classics”). The only thing we’re worried about right now is sickness, but so far we’re healthy.”

The meet with Valpo will begin at 1:00 p.m. Saturday.