HOUSTON, Texas-In the first road contest of the season, the New Mexico State swimming and diving team split a meet in Houston, Texas, defeating Rice, 151-143, and falling to Houston, 152-146, Thursday, Nov. 6.
Head coach Rick Pratt said he was pleased with the Aggies’ competitiveness in a meet that came down to the final event.
“This was one of the most exciting meets we’ve had,” he said. “I thought we had some dynamite swims. Everyone stepped up and took it to the next level. Our freshmen really came through. I couldn’t be prouder of the team. I thought we showed a lot of character and were amazing across the board.”
The Aggies began the meet with a second-place finish in the 400-medley relay. Junior Meghann Percy, sophomore Alannah Lawrence, junior Bonnie Taylor and freshman Brittney Moore scored NMSU’s first points of the meet. Senior Stephanie Peacock gave the Aggies the first victory of the meet when she won the 100 back.
The Aggies dominated the 100 breaststroke as freshman Maria Spies claimed top honors while Lawrence and sophomore Kelly Runestrand were second and fourth, respectively. Spies broke her second school record in the 200 breaststroke with her second individual victory of the meet (2:17.40). Runestrand and Lawrence also had impressive performances in the event finishing third and fourth, respectively.
Sophomore Kelly Conrad scored for the Aggies with a victory in the 50 free and a second-place finish in the 100 free. Percy took third in the 200 back while Taylor and Bain finished fifth and sixth, respectively.
The Aggies recorded several lifetime best performances at Houston with Moore improving her 500 free time by three seconds with a second-place finish.
In both the 100 and 200 butterfly, junior Victoria Eickerman posted a season-best time and team-best performance. Sophomore Mariesa Cloud paced NMSU in the diving events with a pair of fourth-place showings.
Junior Liz Thomson led the team in the 1,000 freestyle with a fifth-place showing and freshman Ana Smith followed in sixth. In the 200 free, Conrad had a team-best third place and Moore collected fourth.
The Aggies concludes the meet with a third-place finish in the 400-free relay with the team of Conrad, Spies, Runestrand and Peacock.
NMSU continues its road trip, Saturday, Nov. 8 at 10:30 a.m., at the Mean Green Duals in Denton, Texas.
Courtesy: Lindi S. Wilkinson
