COLUMBUS - On the second night of the Big Ten championships, Michigan and Minnesota fought for Saturday night's final victory in the 800-yard freestyle relay. Fans from both teams frantically waved yellow pompons, as they watched the Michigan men's swimming team touch out the Golden Gophers to claim the second-day lead.

Twenty-four hours later, the final relay of the night - and of the three-day meet - featured two of the same Wolverine swimmers as the day before. But in the event that decided the Big Ten championships, Michigan fell short.

The Wolverines finished second at the Big Ten Championships at Ohio State's McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion with 608.5 points, just four points behind Minnesota. The Golden Gophers took first in the final event, the 400-yard freestyle relay, by 0.16 seconds and ruined Michigan's bid for its first Big Ten team title in four years.

The natatorium's stands, half-empty during Michigan's last trip to Columbus in January, were packed with spirited supporters from the ten teams. The Wolverines' fan section wielded the "Go Blue" cowbell while the Buckeyes sang to the tunes of their pep band on the pool deck. Hoosiers fans, decked in body paint, beads and feather headdresses, danced above the bleachers as the Wildcats loudly chanted the names of their star swimmers.

During Friday's first individual event, Michigan continued its 11-year dominance in the 500-yard freestyle, as sophomore Matt Patton and junior Alex Vanderkaay finished 0.12 seconds apart to earn first and second. Vanderkaay earned a Big Ten title in the 400-yard individual medley on Saturday and the 200-yard butterfly on Sunday, swimming the fastest time in the country this year in both events.

Vanderkaay also swam anchor on both the first-place 800-yard freestyle relay and the meet-deciding, fourth-place 400-yard freestyle relay. Before diving into the pool to start the final leg of the 400-yard freestyle, he focused on what he had to do to seal a Wolverine Big Ten victory.

"I knew we had to get fourth to win it, Minnesota had to get second and I had to beat the guy next to me," Vanderkaay said. "I did that, but (Minnesota) got first (in the relay). That kind of stuff happens. It's kind of hard to believe that we were that close in the race."

Michigan also placed first and second in the 200-yard freestyle on Saturday. Sophomore Bobby Savulich won his first individual Big Ten title in 1:35.99 after setting a pool record in the preliminaries, and sophomore Sal Barba finished second in 1:36.32. Savulich also placed third in the 100-yard freestyle.

"It was great to go out there and win," Savulich said about his strong individual performance. "It was huge to be able to do it with my teammates, with Sal getting second and Evan (Ryser) getting eighth."

After trailing Ohio State by 14 points and Minnesota by one after the first day, the Wolverines surged ahead of both teams to lead the meet after Saturday's events, tallying 405 points to Minnesota's 403.

Michigan began Sunday night's competition by earning 55 points in the 1,650-yard freestyle, with Patton earning first place, freshman Charlie Houchin finishing third and sophomore Christian Sprang taking fifth. With four events remaining, Michigan temporarily lost the lead to Minnesota, but regained its first-place standing before the last event.

All the senior swimmers and divers participating in their final Big Ten meet were honored at the beginning of Sunday's competition. No Michigan swimmer was on the list. Yet, despite their lack of experienced leadership, Michigan fell just shy of sealing its first championship in four years, and effectively removed its role as underdog, a stigma the Wolverines have struggled with nearly the entire season.

"I think we really outswam the expectations of everybody here, and the guys just swam their hearts out," Michigan coach Bob Bowman said. "I couldn't ask for more. Obviously, we want to win this meet, and that's what Michigan deserves, and we'll find a way in the future to do that."

Added Savulich: "Minnesota is a hell of a team, but we all know we'll be back next year."