Miami Swimmers Take down Rice in Houston
Nov. 5, 2010
Houston, Texas – The University of Miami swimming team set nine pool records on Friday, en route to a 152-114 victory over Rice inside the Gibbs Recreation and Wellness Center at the Rice Aquatics Center in Houston.
Miami (3-1) picked up its seventh win in the last nine head-to-head matchups with opponents dating back to last season.
The Hurricanes began the day with a victory in the 400-yard medley relay, using the team of Hannah Kling (leadoff), Sofia Johansson (second), Annika Saarnak (third) and Kelsi Hall (anchor) for the winning time of 3:49.46. The time posted was four seconds better than Rice (3:53.82). The Miami “B” team of Roxanne Meyer (leadoff), Dana Hatic (second), Deidre Novotny (third) and Kayla Smith (anchor) posted a third place time of 3:57.33.
Sophomore Christine Anderson was victorious in the 1000-yard freestyle, setting a new pool record with a mark of 10:20.26. Senior Ryann Labreche was third for UM, touching the wall in 10:30.76. Junior transfer Whitney Stephenson took second place for the `Canes in the 200-yard freestyle, finishing the race with a time of 1:52.45 – setting a new personal and UM season-best time in the process. Redshirt junior Lauren Jacoby was fifth (1:58.01).
Junior Roxanne Meyer (58.92) and sophomore Hannah Kling (59.06) went second and third for UM in the 100-yard backstroke, while sophomore Sofia Johansson picked up the win for the `Canes in the 100-yard breaststroke in a time of 1:04.32. Anderson finished third (1:04.96) in a season-best performance for her, and teammate Dana Hatic was fourth (1:07.83).
UM took first and second in the 50-yard freestyle as junior transfer Kelsi Hall set a pool record in a performance of 23.63, followed by Kling at 24.36. Senior Annika Saarnak picked up her second 100-yard freestyle win of the year, registering a time of 51.56, and teammate Hall finished third as she touched the wall at 52.20.
The fourth pool record on the day for UM was set by Stephenson in the 200-yard backstroke, touching the time pad at 2:00.81, and setting a new season-best performance for the `Canes in the event. Meyer was fourth in a time of 2:05.38.
The 200-yard breaststroke was another pool record-setting performance by the Hurricanes, this time with a win by Johansson in a time of 2:21.67, with junior Dana Hatic coming in third at 2:23.59. A new pool record was set in the 500-yard freestyle as Anderson put up a time of 5:03.70 – that time also being a UM season-best mark. Labreche was fourth in the 500 free at 5:11.92.
A pool record was set by UM in a fifth consecutive event during the 100-yard butterfly, using a record-setting performance by Saarnak in a time of 55.84, picking up her third consecutive win in the event on the campaign. Senior Deidre Novotny was third (59.10) and sophomore Haley Nicholson was fourth (1:00.30). Novotny was the fastest Hurricane in the 200-yard individual medley, turning in a time of 2:09.58.
Miami set its ninth pool record of the day in the 400-yard freestyle relay behind the strength of Saarnak (leadoff), Hall (second), Stephenson (third) and Smith (anchor), posting a winning time of 3:29.19.
“I’m really impressed with how we performed today because for the last two weeks we’ve been training harder that we have all year,” said UM fifth-year head coach Christie Shefchunas. “Heading into tomorrow’s meet against Houston, this shows our team that even when they’re tired, if they’re mentally tough, then they can swim great,” stated Shefchunas. “This isn’t just going to help us tomorrow, but for the rest of the season.”
Miami will continue racing tomorrow as the Hurricanes travel across town to face the University of Houston at Noon (CST).
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