LSU Womens Swimming and Diving Team Takes Lead in Houston

HOUSTON ? The No. 19-ranked LSU women?s swimming and diving team took the lead Friday afternoon in it?s two-day double-dual meet against Houston and Rice at the CRWC Natatorium.
The Lady Tigers hold a 143-40 lead against the Cougars and a 125-54 advantage against the Owls. The Lady Tigers placed first in seven of the ten events held today. Junior Katherine Noland won two individual events in the 100 fly (55.84) and the 200 free (1:50.69). Noland was also a member of the 400-yard freestyle relay team, along with Leigh Ann King, Sabrina Messmer and Jane Treep, that finished in first with a time of 3:28.10.
?Katherine swam the 100 fly in one of her best times today,? said head coach Adam Schmitt. ?She did pretty well today.?
The Lady Tigers started strong out of the gate, placing first in the day?s opening event. A team of Monica McJunkin, Victoria Givens, Jane Trepp and Katie Gilmore swam the 200 medley relay in 1:43.21, nearly four seconds faster than the second place finisher.
After Clare Schepens placed second in the 1000 free, the Lady Tigers went on a rampage, finishing 1-2 in the next four events. Noland (55.84) and McJunkin (57.45) placed 1-2 in the 100 fly, followed by Berit Aljand and Gilmore?s 1-2 finish in the 100 backstroke with times of 58.20 and 58.58, respectively.
Victoria Givens won her lone individual event of the day, touching the wall first in the 200 breast with a time of 2:20.51. Kannon Betzen, who won the 200 IM with a time of 2.05.88, placed second in the 200 breast with a time of 2:22.41.
Noland placed first in the 200 free, with Lauren Grandy (1:51.39) finishing right behind her. Rachel Ware and Paige Brown placed third and fifth, respectively, in the 3 meter dive. The Lady Tigers held three of the top four spots in the 50 free, with McJunkin (23.86), King (24.04) and Gilmore (24.07) placing in second, third and fourth, respectively. Rounding out the evening was Betzen?s victory in the 200 IM, and a team of Noland, Messmer, King and Trepp placing first in the 400 free relay with a time of 3.28.10.
?It?s good for us to compete against these teams before the SEC Championships,? added Schmitt. ?I?m really proud of the way we raced. We just touched the wall first today.?

The meet resumes on Saturday at 10 a.m.
Saturday?s Schedule of Events
(Beginning at 11:30 a.m.)
400 Medley Relay
500 Freestyle
200 Butterfly
200 Backstroke
100 Breaststroke
1-meter Diving
100 Freestyle
400 IM
200 Freestyle Relay