Friends and relationships were up against each other at Beyer Hall this past weekend for the women’s swimming and diving meets Oct. 17 and Oct. 18 against South Dakota State and Nebraska, respectively.

A former conference and historically imposing opponent, Nebraska was once rivals with Iowa State before Nebraska left the Big 12. The excitement and passion of an old rivalry was not missing from Beyer Hall during this weekend’s contests.

Contrary to what may be an assumption of large rivalries, Iowa State and Nebraska have a friendly rivalry in the pool. ISU swimming and diving coach Duane Sorenson is very fond of head Nebraska swimming and diving coach Pablo Morales.

“We’re really good friends,” Sorenson said. “We mesh well and love to joke around with each other. We send emails and texts back and forth to each other. He’s a great human being and because we are such good friends, it makes the rivalry that much better because you want to beat your friend.”

The type of relationship that Sorenson and Morales have is unique and productive for both programs, as the Cyclones finished third in the Big 12 this past season, and the Cornhuskers continue to climb the ranks in a competitive Big 10 conference.

Friendships not only existed outside the pool this weekend amongst the coaches but also within the pool.

Iowa State and Nebraska each have three competitors hailing from Omaha, Neb. The toughest competition between Omaha performers was in the diving well between Nebraska’s Anna Filipcic and Iowa State’s Elyse Brouillette.

Filipcic and Brouillette have a relationship that goes back beyond high school and certainly changes the atmosphere in and around the pool.

“You try not to let it affect you but at the same time it also gets you a little more amped,” Brouillette said. “We trained club together and we pushed each other in meets, it was weird in high school. We went back and forth between who would win, and its kind of the same now. I think there was a lot of hard work put into today and it’s sad to not pull out the win.”