The Cougars jumped back in the pool this weekend but fell in both duals.
The Cougars got back in the pool this weekend after nearly a month away from competition but found little success in their return. UH dropped dual meets to Conference USA rival SMU 136-98 on Saturday and 141-101 at North Texas on Friday.
The Cougars were still able to record four individual victories and a relay win despite the loss to the Mustangs, who beat Rice on Thursday.
Sophomore Kimberley Eeson jump-started the Cougars with a win in the first individual event of the afternoon, finishing in 10 minutes, 27.92 seconds in the 1,000-yard freestyle. Sophomore Rachel Holcomb came in third with an 11:23.74 finish.
Eeson followed up her win with a second-place finish in the 500-yard freestyle, clocking in at 5:07.06, while freshman Christine Salinas was fourth in 5:18.64.
The Cougars second win came in the 200-yard breaststroke, where sophomore Beccy Hillis turned in a performance of 2:18.65. Sophomore Natalie Newcomb finished fourth in 2:28.54, and freshman Holli Pisarski was sixth (2:35.97).
Senior and 2008 Olympic silver medalist Anastasia Pozdniakova won the 1-meter diving event with 352.88 points. Sophomore Lacey Truelove finished in fourth (276.60 points), freshman Julia Lonnegren was fifth (273.67), and sophomore Jessalyn Almond was sixth (241.73).
Pozdniakova, arguably one of the best divers in school history, capped the afternoon with 375.98 points in the 3-meter event for the win. Lonnegren followed in fourth place (286.35), Truelove was fifth (271.88) and Almond slotted sixth (258.00).
The final event, the 400-yard freestyle relay, also went to the Cougars. Eeson, junior Andrea Kells, freshman Kimmy Ballo and sophomore Haley Weathers combined for a 3:41.00 time.
At the dual against North Texas (8-4) on Friday, UH managed five event wins but lost their first meet of 2010.
Pozdniakova continued her dominance on the board, taking first place in the 1-meter diving competition with a score of 314.70 and a 397.65 score in the 3-meter event for her second win.
The Cougars took the top four spots in both diving events. Truelove took second in the 1-meter (266.10), Lonnegren was third (256.80) and Almond was fourth (254.77). Truelove finished second in the 3-meter event with 311.62 points, Almond was third (295.97), and Lonnegren was fourth (264.60).
Lonnegren was a spring semester addition to the team, making her season debut against the Mean Green.
Freshman Reka Kovacs also turned in wins for UH. She won the 200-yard individual medley in 2:06.67. Kovacs tacked on a second win with a 59.13 finish in the 100-yard backstroke, and Ballo was second in 59.62.
A tough stretch awaits the Cougars in the coming weeks. UH kicks it off with home duals against Rice, LSU and Tulane on Friday and Saturday. Friday’s events begin at 5 p.m. and will continue at 11 a.m Saturday at the CRWC Natatorium.
