HOUSTON — The LSU women’s swimming and diving team picked up its first win of the new year on Friday afternoon against the University of Houston by a score of 131-93 at the UH Natatorium in Houston.
The Lady Tigers won six of 12 events in the meet to improve to 18-5 all-time against the Cougars and have now won the last 13 meetings in the series. Sophomore Lauren Harvey led the way for LSU on Friday by winning the 100-yard freestyle and also placing second in the 100-yard breaststroke. Harvey swam the 100 free in a time of 54.41, placing just ahead of teammates Cindy Martinez and Laura Jo Leininger.
LSU won both the 200-yard medley relay and the 200-yard freestyle relay. Freshman Hannah Martin won the 500-yard freestyle in a time of 4:57.36 and the Lady Tigers finished 1-3 in the 100-yard breaststroke with senior Cissy Schepens winning the event with a time of 1:06.85. Junior All-American Stephanie Smith and senior Donna Leslie finished first and second in the 200-yard freestyle with Smith finishing in a time of 1:53.61.
Houston All-American diver Yulia Pakhalina won both the 1- and 3-meter diving competitions. Lady Tiger All-American Barb Gorst and sophomore Jessica Wantz placed third and fourth in the 3-meter and second and third in the 1-meter.
The women improved to 5-3 on the season and will face Rice and Texas A&M Saturday in College Station, Texas.
College Station, Texas — The LSU women’s swimming and diving team continues its tour of Texas on Saturday when they face both Rice University and Texas A&M at noon at the Texas A&M Student Rec Center Natatorium in College Station.
The Lady Tigers defeated Rice last season, 151-83, and lost a heartbreaker to Texas A&M, 154-145, in Baton Rouge last January. LSU is 11-8 all-time versus Texas A&M and 19-2 against Rice.
Saturday’s meet is the second in two days for LSU. The Lady Tigers disposed of Houston by a score of 131-93 on Friday in Houston. Saturday’s meet includes 16 events including two heats of the 1000-yard freestyle.
“Our meets against Texas A&M and Rice are always big meets,” said LSU head coach Jeff Cavana. “We have not beaten Texas A&M in their home pool on the men’s side since the 1985-86 season and the last time we beat them at all was five years ago. “
“We also have not beaten A&M’s women there since the 1993-94 season so we will be going in there trying to make some history and hope to do it by swimming and diving well,” Cavana said.
The LSU men are currently 3-3 on the season. LSU’s next meet is against Florida State on Jan. 25 in Tallahassee at noon.