Rice University
Phill Hansel Duals Weekend
Owls Win Three of Five Dual Meets Saturday At UH
11/4/2006 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
HOUSTON -- Sophomore sprinter Diane Gu led a 1-2 Rice finish in the 100-yard freestyle then came back to swim the anchor leg on Owls' winning 200-free relay on the final day of competition of the Phill Hansel Duals Weekend Saturday morning at the University of Houston Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium.
Rice won three of the event's five simultaneous dual meets, defeating the University of New Orleans 264-51, Trinity 268-74 and Mesa State 268-36. The Owls dropped two dual meets, falling to former Western Athletic Conference foe Nevada 191-156 and crosstown rival Houston by a score of 176-171.
Gu followed Friday's convincing win in the 50-free with an equally impressive victory in the 100 Saturday. The standout from Orlando, Fla., posted a season-best time of 51.81 to claim the event over a field of 23 competitors. Sophomore Carlyann Miller took second with a season-best 52.03, giving the Gu-Miller duo a matching 1-2 finish like they had the day before in the 50. The tandem came back two events later to help lead the Owls, along with sophomore Skylar Craig and senior Andrea Hurn, to a win in the 200-free relay. The foursome clocked a 1:35.31 in their first 4x50 of the year.
The Owls had two other second place finishes on the day with four thirds. Junior Brittany Massengale went 5:00.02 for second in the rugged 500-freestyle while sophomore Caitlin Warner was third with a season-best 5:01.47. Though normally a sprinter, Miller showed some versatility by taking fifth in the 500 with time of 5:05.90.
In the 200-backstroke true freshman Justine Lin finished second with a Rice-best 2:04.93 while Skylar Craig was third (2:06.66) in her first attempt at the distance this season. Junior Jennifer Hill was fifth in the 200-back (2:08.06) and then returned to finish third in the 400-individual medley (4:35.06).
The team's 400-medley relay had a solid butterfly leg from freshman Erin Mattson and a great closing freestyle from Gu on the anchor, but the Blue & Gray took third behind Nevada and Houston with a 3:56.40.
The Rice swimmers will next be in action at the Indiana University Invitational on Nov. 17-19 in Bloomington, Ind. The meet hosted by the nationally-ranked Hoosiers in one of the country's top multi-team events in the fall season.
Rice's Final Dual Meet Scores
Houston 176, Rice Owls 171
Rice Owls 264, New Orleans 51
Nevada 191, Rice Owls 156
Rice Owls 268, Trinity 74
Rice Owls 268, Mesa State 36
Players Mentioned
