Winning 10 of the day’s 12 total events, the FIU swimming and diving team downed Conference USA foe Rice, 133-90, on Friday from the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Center.
The victory improves the Panthers to 3-0 this season as FIU has now won 14-straight dual meets as well as 13-consecutive at the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Center.
Leading the way for the Panthers were sophomores Kyna Pereira and Naomi Ruele, who combined for five first-place finishes. Pereira won the 1000-Meter Freestyle (10:06.76) and the 500-Meter Freestyle (4:58.47), while Ruele took first in the 50-Meter Backstroke (26.86) and the 50-Meter Freestyle (24.15). The two also teamed up with sophomore Ally Mayhew and senior Becky Wilde to win the 100-Meter Freestyle Relay (45.10). Pereira’s 10:06.76 in the 1000 Free set an Aquatic Center record previously held by Kansas’ Rebecca Swank.
Also claiming first-place finishes for the Panthers were sophomore Skye Carey in the 200-Meter Backstroke (2:02.84 – a C-USA season-best), sophomore Rebecca Quesnel in the One-Meter Dive (298.35), sophomore Chase Harris in the 200-Meter Backstroke (2:19.75 – a C-USA season-best), senior Valerie Inghels in the 100-Meter Butterfly (57.66) and senior Jessica Chadwick in the 200-Meter Individual Medley (2:06.39 – a C-USA season-best).
The Panthers will return to the pool on Saturday, Oct. 17, with Day Two of Dual-A-Palooza. The Panthers will face Florida Atlantic at 10 a.m. followed by No. 24-ranked Miami (Fla.) at 3 p.m.
