Jan. 30, 2010

Complete Results in PDF Format

Final Scores in PDF Format

HOUSTON - The University of Houston swimming and diving team defeated Tulane but fell to Rice and LSU Saturday afternoon at the conclusion of the two-day dual competition at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Natatorium.

Houston defeated the Green Wave with a score of 213-134. The Owls came out on top against the Cougars, 197-144, and the two teams now stand at 1-1 this season. The Tigers finished the afternoon with 207 points to Houston's 138. UH is now 3-8 this season in dual action.

"We had a lot of positives that came out of the weekend and the girls looked sharper," head coach Mark Taylor. "We have two hard meets coming up against Texas A&M and Texas in the next two weeks so the girls are focusing and sharpening their kills to prepare for conference."

This weekend was challenging but I saw a lot of positive things and it will prepare us so things go the way we want at the conference meet."

Freshman diver Julie Lonnergren won her first event as a Cougar diver, scoring a career-high 299.75 for top honors in the 3-meter diving competition. Teammate sophomore Jessalyn Almond also competed in the event and was fourth with 260.10 points.

Freshman Reka Kovacs won the 400-yard IM in the final individual swimming event of the competition, clocking a time of 4:23.56. Following in third was sophomore Beccy Hillis (4:32.60) and in sixth was sophomore Natalie Newcomb.

Sophomore Kimberley Eeson was fourth in the 500-yard freestyle, turning in a time of 5:04.35. Following in seventh with a personal best was freshman Christine Salinas in 5:05.66, while sophomores Olga Bordatcheva and Rachel Holcomb were 11th and 17th, respectively.

Eeson also clocked a 52.56 in the 100-yard freestyle for a sixth place finish. Trailing in ninth was Salinas (53.38), in 17th was freshman Moira Fraser, in 24th was freshman Holli Pisarski and in 25th was freshman Haley Weathers.

After recording a win in the 1,000-yard freestyle on Friday night, freshman Reka Kovacs took fourth place in the 200-yard backstroke on Saturday with a time of 2:04.10. Freshman Kimmy Ballo trailed in eighth and sophomore Rachel Johnson was 13th.

Sophomore Beccy Hillis notched a fourth place time of 1:05.75 in the 100-yard breaststroke. Pisarski trailed in eighth (1:09.91) and freshman Catherine Finley was 15th. Junior Andrea Kells gave the Cougars a sixth place finish of 2:08.69 in the 200-yard butterfly while sophomore Natalie Newcomb and Holcomb were ninth and 12, respectively.

The "A" relay team of Ballo, Hillis, Kells and Salinas clocked a fourth place time of 3:56.15 in the 400-yard medley relay. Following in 10th (4:27.68) was the "B" team of Johnson, Finley, Newcomb and Weathers.

Eeson, Salinas, Ballo and Kells then finished fourth in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:40.37, while the "B" team of Pisarski, Weathers, Bordatcheva and Fraser were seventh.

Houston will be back in action on Feb. for a dual against Texas A&M. The Cougars then wrap-up the regular season with the Second Annual Sprint for the Cure Meet against Texas on Feb. 10. Following the dual meets, UH will host the Conference USA Championships on Feb. 24-27.