University of Houston
Phill Hansel Cougar Classic Invitational
Cougars Post Successful Start to Phill Hansel Cougar Classic Invitational
11/18/2010 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
HOUSTON - The University of Houston swimming and diving team opened the Phill Hansel Cougar Classic Invitational with a record-setting start Thursday at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Natatorium.
Seven personal bests were broken on the swimming side and another on the diving team as the Cougars finished the first day of the invitational in third place. Heading into Saturday's competition, Houston trails only the pair of nationally-ranked teams. No. 22 LSU sits in the top spot, while Conference USA foe, No. 18 SMU finished day one in second place.
"As a whole, our team is swimming really well," head swimming coach Mark Taylor said. "Almost every girl that got into the pool tonight set personal best. We are thrilled with these efforts. We swam the fourth-fastest time in UH history in the 400 (medley relay) tonight. It was nice to be complimented by several other coaches on how good our team looks."
The Cougars opened the evening winning their heat and posting a fifth-place overall finish when junior Kim Eeson, sophomore Moira Fraser, senior Andrea Kells and freshman Krystan Morrell combined to post a season-best 1:36.49 in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Freshmen Colleen Donovan, Laykin Lowry, Heather Winn and sophomore Kimmy Ballo swam the relay in 1:41 flat.
Houston followed up its strong showing in the 500-yard freestyle prelims with another in the finals. Eeson notched an NCAA provisional qualifying time when she took second place with the Cougars' best time of the season (4:50.44).
Lowry got under the five-minute mark again in the finals to post a sixth-place finish (4:59.53), while Winn's 5:02.75 to put her in eighth place in the championship finals. Ballo recorded a personal-best 5:05.19 in the Bonus C finals. Taylor spoke with pride about his team's strength in the middle-distance event.
"It shows that we train hard and that our girls handle that training really well," Taylor said.
The 200-yard individual medley showcased sophomore Reka Kovacs in the championship finals as her 2:02.93 put her in third place behind nationally-ranked SMU's Therese Svendsen and Kannon Betzen. Svendsen's time of 2:00.04 checked in as the new CRWC pool record in the event.
Junior Beccy Hillis and Kells took second and fourth in their 200-yard IM heat, each turning in personal bests. Hillis conquered the event in 2:06.53, while Kells swam a 2:08.35.
After missing the 50-yard freestyle championship finals by two-tenths of a second, Eeson followed her prelims performance with a personal best in the consolation finals (23.85) to claim second. Morrell submitted a 24.50 effort as Fraser clocked her best time of the season (24.47).
The divers took to the pool next and senior Lacey Truelove stood front and center. The two-time All-American posted a career-best score of 366.45 en route to taking first place and picking up 20 points for her team.
"That's exactly what we needed to do," head diving coach Jane Figueiredo said. "Tonight was Lacey doing what she is capable of doing. That's the start. If we can build on that we'll be in great shape."
The 400-yard medley relay closed the evening's competition in exciting fashion. The Cougars' `A' relay team, consisting of Kovacs, Hillis, Kells and Eeson tallied a fourth-place finish with a time of 3:47.40. The relay time shot the girls' up to fourth on the UH all-time best performance list.
The Cougars begin again Friday at 10 a.m. at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Natatorium. Swimming preliminaries will start the morning session and diving prelims will close it.
"Now we come back tomorrow and play again," Taylor said.
Prelim Notes:
- The Cougars thrived in the 500-yard freestyle as four swimmers clocked personal bests in the event on Thursday morning. Freshman Heather Winn became the first Cougar to break the five-minute mark in the 500-yard freestyle this season. In the third of five heats Thursday morning, Winn posted a 4:57.89 to best her previous personal best of 5:04.23. Fellow freshman Laykin Lowry posted a personal best alongside her (4:58.74) to qualify them both for the championship finals. Sophomore Kimmy Ballo (5:07.45) and freshman Emma Nelson (5:22.33) also notched lifetime bests.
- Senior Andrea Kells recorded her personal best time in the 200-yard IM (2:08.74), while sophomore Reka Kovacs posted the Cougars' best time of the year in the event (2:05.46). Freshmen Colleen Donovan (2:14.59), Lauren Spano (2:15.51) and Leah Sanchez (2:19.69) each posted personal bests.
- Junior Kim Eeson missed the 50-yard freestyle championship finals by less than two-tenths of a second, but set a personal best in the process (23.89). Freshman Krystan Morrell stayed right with her, posting her PR (24.24). Kells broke her three-year old personal best in the event (25.40).
- Donovan (25.55) and fellow freshman Marissa Blumenthal (25.43) posted lifetime bests in the 50-yard free along with sophomore Holli Pisarski (25.44).
Players Mentioned
